British airline easyJet is making progress on its plan to fly electric passenger jets on some of its routes by 2027. Its partner, US startup Wright Electric, has successfully flown a two-seater electric aircraft, and is now moving to the next stage of engine development. Wright is now working on an electric engine for a nine-seater plane that is scheduled to fly next year, and has filed a patent for a motor to be used in a larger, easyJet-size aircraft.

EasyJet is targeting a 10% cut in carbon emissions by 2022 by using more fuel-efficient jets, and hopes to have electric planes flying on routes of about 500 kilometers within the decade.

“Electric flying is becoming a reality, and we can now foresee a future that is not exclusively dependent on jet fuel,” easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said.

Source: CNBC