ZeroAvia signs on to provide up to 70 zero-emission engines to new electric airline, Ecojet
Hydrogen-electric plane technology developer ZeroAvia announced it has signed an agreement with the newly launched, carbon-conscious airline EcoJet to provide up to 70 zero-emission plane engines. With ZeroAvia’s help, Ecojet looks to become the world’s first all-electric airline.
ZeroAvia continues to hit milestones on a publicly shared development timeline that spans an entire decade. To date, we’ve seen the company secure experimental flight certificates from both the CAA in the UK and the FAA in the US – home to its two current headquarters.
Last January, ZeroAvia completed its first flight with its 19-passenger hydrogen-electric plane – the largest to take to the skies at the time. That accomplishment aside, the company has its sights set on developing larger and more powerful planes – vowing to deliver a 40- to 80-seat aircraft with up to 700 miles of range by 2027.
Before then however, we may see ZeroAvia’s technology help propel different planes under a new agreement with Ecojet – a UK-based airline founded a mere five months ago. Created by green energy industrialist and climate activist Dale Vince, Ecojet looks to become the world’s first electric airline using a fleet of aircraft powered using renewable energy… eventually.
Still in its infancy, Ecojet has recruited the technology of ZeroAvia to help get its hydrogen-electric planes airborne in the next couple years.
ZeroAvia to help Ecojet begin hydrogen-electric flights
ZeroAvia shared details of its latest agreement with an airline today, which will enable the sale of up to 70 hydrogen-electric engines to Ecojet, including its ZA600 and ZA2000. The deal was facilitated with the help of zero- and low-emission technology financier MONTE, who signed a definitive purchase agreement with ZeroAvia over the summer.
ZeroAvia states that MONTE will provide financing for Ecojet’s powertrain purchase, installation and operation, meaning that Ecojet will become the lessor’s first confirmed customer. Ecojet founder Dale Vince spoke to the agreement between the British companies:
We don’t have to give up flying to live a green lifestyle or to get to net zero as a country – and this is big news. The technology is here now and the planes are coming very soon – carbon free, guilt free flying is just around the corner. And although aviation is responsible for only a small part of all global emissions, it occupies a far bigger space than that in our psyche. The hearts and minds value of this new opportunity outweighs the carbon issue significantly. It shows that everything we need to do, can be done, with a low to zero carbon footprint. And that is big news and a big encouragement to us all.
ZeroAvia, MONTE, and Ecojet say they will work together alongside local airports to identify, develop, and help finance the first pathways to hydrogen-electric commercial operations in the UK and potentially beyond.
Ecojet says it will begin commercial flights in 2024 using conventionally powered aircraft flying in and out of Edinburgh. Meanwhile, ZeroAvia says it will continue to work toward type certification of its ZA600 engine in 2025. Once that certification is in place, Ecojet intends to retrofit its existing aircraft with the hydrogen-electric engines, thus becoming a zero-emissions airline.
According to the release, part of Ecojet’s purchase commitment includes the aforementioned Z2000 hydrogen-electric engines – capable of powering 80-seat regional turboprop aircraft. Ecojet its targeting a start of service for those larger electric planes in 2027.
ZeroAvia recently completed a 10 test flight program using a prototype of its ZA600 on a Dornier 228 aircraft and continues to “develop the core technologies for flying larger aircraft,” like those powered by the Z2000.
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Tesla has started to offer discounted financing on Cybertruck as the electric pickup truck undoubtedly turns out to be a flop.
Tesla claimed over 1 million reservations for the Cybertruck, and CEO Elon Musk said he could see Tesla producing 500,000 units per year.
However, that was before Tesla announced that the production version would be much more expensive and have a shorter range than what was initially announced.
The Cybertruck has now been in production for a year and a half, and it looks like Tesla would be lucky to sell about 10% of Musk’s goal of 500,000 units.
The automaker doesn’t report Cybertruck sales, but it is estimated that Tesla delivered roughly 40,000 Cybertrucks in 2024, and it is expected to have even more issues selling the truck this year.
Tesla has taken several steps to help sales.
We reported that Tesla launched Cybertruck leases to help move vehicles. The company is even still tucked with “Foundations Series” Cybertrucks, and we found out that Tesla buffed “Foundations Series” badges out of some trucks to sell them as cheaper regular Cybertrucks.
For the remaining “Foundations Series,” which there still are despite Tesla switching to regular Cybertruck production in October, Tesla has even offered free Supercharging for life.
Now, Tesla is stepping up its game, and it is offering discounted financing on new Cybertruck orders:
Tesla announced 1.99% APR for a limited time:
1.99% APR available for a limited time for well-qualified buyers
WIthout the “promotion”, the rate for excellent credit is 5.84%.
While Tesla is discounting the rates, it is not discounting them as much as for new Model 3 orders.
We reported earlier this week that Tesla offers 0% and 0.99% with $0 down on new Model 3 orders in the US until the end of the quarter.
Electrek’s Take
It is very possible that Tesla can’t sell more than 10,000 Cybertrucks this quarter, which would extrapolate to 40,000 units per year or less than 10% of what Elon said he would see Tesla delivering.
Now, the cheaper single motor Cybertruck should help, but by how much? It could bring Tesla to 20-30% of the volume Elon saw possible?
I think it’s fairly clear that the Cybertruck is a flop.
Tesla launched a single new vehicle in the last 5 years and it is a flop.
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Environment
Toyota launched its cheapest EV in China and it crashed the server starting at just $15,000
Toyota looks to grab a bigger share of the world’s largest EV market as it takes aim at BYD and other low-cost leaders. On Thursday, Toyota launched its cheapest EV in China, the bZ3X, starting at roughly $15,000. The new electric SUV crashed the server with over 10,000 orders in an hour.
Meet Toyota’s cheapest EV in China, the bZ3X
The bz3X is Toyota’s “first 100,000 yuan-level pure electric SUV” in China and its cheapest EV to hit the market so far.
Toyota’s Chinese joint venture, GAC-Toyota officially launched the “Bozhi 3X,” or bZ3X for short, in China on March 6. Shortly after, the company said orders for its new electric SUV were “so popular that the server crashed” after revealing prices start at just over $15,000 (109,800 yuan).
After securing over 10,000 orders in just one hour, Toyota boasted again that “the server is overwhelmed.” The launch comes after blind pre-orders opened in December, starting at just under $14,000 (100,000 yuan).
The bZ3X is available in two versions, with or without its full-scenario smart driving tech. The non-smart tech model starts at 109,800 yuan ($15,000) with five trim options while the smart driving model starts at 149,800 yuan ($20,500).
For 159,800 yuan ($22,000), the range-topping “610 Max” trim provides up to 610 km (379 miles) CLTC range from a 67.92 kWh LFP battery. The base “430 Air” gets up to 430 km (267 miles) from a 50.03 kWh LFP battery pack.
Toyota said the interior provides “a mobile space that is comfortable as home,” with front and rear seats that can fold down to provide nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of space.
Inside, the electric SUV has a 14.6″ infotainment screen with voice recognition and an 8.8″ driver display. It also includes a two-spoke multi-function steering wheel.
Toyota’s new bZ3X is its first vehicle with the Momenta 5.0 Intelligent Driving System. Powered by NVIDIA Drive AGX Orin X, it comes with 25 ADAS features, such as parallel parking, remote control parking, high-speed pilot, light traffic assist, and blind spot monitoring.
GAC-Toyota claimed it will be “one of the first automakers in the world to realize a one-stage end-to-end intelligent driving model.” With human-like intelligence, the vehicle “gets smarter and better with use.”
At 4,600 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,645 mm tall, Toyota’s cheapest EV in China is about the size of BYD’s Yuan Plus (Atto 3) at 4,455 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,615 mm tall. Starting at 115,800 yuan ($16,000), Toyota’s new bZ3X slightly undercuts BYD’s electric SUV.
What do you think of Toyota’s new electric SUV? Would you buy one for around $15,000? We’ll keep dreaming.
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