Norway wants all short-haul flights to use electric aircraft by 2040

Norway has set the target of using 100% electric aircraft for all of its short-haul flights by 2040.

The Scandinavian country has long been a frontrunner in the electrification of transport; it has produced more electric vehicles than any other nation in the world.

Now, through its leading airport operator Avinor, it is aiming for all domestic journeys and those to Scandinavia's capital cities to be undertaken using fully-electric aircraft within 22 years, reports The Guardian.

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In November, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens announced their collaboration to develop a hybrid electric aircraft by 2020. Avinor is looking to test a commercial route with a small electric plane that seats 19 passengers. 

"We think that all flights lasting up to 1.5 hours can be flown by aircraft that are entirely electric and we want to be the first to do it," said its CEO Dag Falk-Petersen.

"When we will have reached our goal, air travel will no longer be a problem for the climate, it will be a solution."