Will people prefer future travel with battery-powered airplanes?

Various small battery-powered airplane models have been developed over the last years and are approaching the stage of being included in commercial flights. However, there are relatively few studies on potential customers’ preference for flying with electric airplanes. Some insights can be drawn from the literature on electric vehicles and other technology adaption, but choices between air travel services differ from choices involving technologically advanced durables. A sample of transport users travelling between the Norwegian cities Bergen and Stavanger were asked about their willingness to choose flying with a future battery-electric airplane instead of a standard kerosene-based one. A majority would consider flying electric, some are also willing to pay a premium, but a substantial share was reluctant and would require a discount. Age was the strongest observable characteristic explaining willingness to pay. Latent technology attitudes also co-varied positively with preference for electric airplanes against conventional airplanes.

Tidsskrift

Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment