Both Boeing and JetBlue have invested in new technology that could take airplanes electric at some point in the future. The planes would use a battery for the majority of its effort with an on-call diesel engine for backup.
The technology would not only offer “80 percent lower emissions than comparable traditional aircraft,” but it would also be quieter. Quiet airplanes means that they have more options for landing at smaller airports.
Bonny Simi of JetBlue;s Technology Ventures released a statement about the investment.
“At JetBlue Technology Ventures, our goal is to be part of a disruptive force rather than the one being disrupted, and we seek new technologies that look to change the game. As a company that is also deeply committed to innovation in sustainable travel, we believe that Zunum and its quiet, environmentally friendly aircraft will light up a vast network of underutilized airports and reinvent regional travel.”
