Swedish leasing company Rockton to buy up to 40 ES-30 airplanes from Heart Aerospace
Swedish investment and aircraft leasing company Rockton will acquire up to 40 of Heart Aerospace’s regional electric airplane, the ES-30, converting an earlier letter of intent with the Swedish airplane maker into firm purchase orders for 20 airplanes with purchase rights for 20 more.
Leasing companies together own more than half of the global airplane fleet, making them a key stakeholder in the industry’s transition to new and more sustainable technologies. Rockton is exclusively focused on investments in new technology mitigating aviation’s negative climate effects and says the industry’s target to reach net zero by 2050 is stoking demand for sustainable solutions.
“The industry’s interest and need to enable a sustainable transition is increasing by the day and the ES-30 is the most promising technology available for the regional aircraft segment. Its reserve-hybrid configuration enables a meaningful range and payload for the commercial airline market and the airplane will be continuously upgraded as new improved battery technology becomes available, making it an asset with enhanced performance the longer you own it,” says Niklas Lund, chief executive of Rockton.
The ES-30 is a regional electric airplane with a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers driven by electric motors with battery derived energy. It will have a fully electric zero emissions range of 200 kilometers, an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers with 30 passengers and flexibility to fly up to 800 kilometers with 25 passengers, all including typical airline reserves. The plan is for the ES-30 to enter into service in 2028.
“The Nordic region will be a leader in the adoption of electric aviation with several concrete infrastructure projects already underway. As a Swedish leasing company, Rockton is clearly a part of this pioneering spirit and we’re happy to have them as a partner,” said Simon Newitt, Chief Commercial Officer, Heart Aerospace.
Heart Aerospace now has a total of 250 firm orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for an additional 120 planes. The company also has letters of intent for a further 91 airplanes.
About Heart Aerospace
At Heart Aerospace we work at the cutting edge of technology while contributing towards a sustainable future. Heart’s mission is to create the world’s greenest, most affordable, and most accessible form of transport. This mission is grounded in the outlook that electric air travel will become the new normal for regional flights and can be transformational in addressing the industry’s key sustainability challenges. www.heartaerospace.com
About Rockton
Rockton has been investing in commercial aircraft and engines for over 25 years, leasing them to airlines globally. Rockton has now pivoted to focus exclusively on the aviation industry’s rapid transition to drastically reduce greenhouse gasses. In this reimagined world, carbon emissions and other climate change effects will drop dramatically due to revolutionary new aviation technology. Rockton aims to accelerate investments in pioneering aviation technology companies and aircraft assets, delivering outsized sustainability benefits along with competitive returns. www.rockton.com
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