KLM and Transavia partner with Elysian to develop battery-electric regional aircraft and ecosystems

Elysian, an emerging Dutch manufacturer of electric aircraft, has partnered with national airline KLM and its low-cost sibling Transavia to progress the development and introduction of battery-powered planes for short-range operations. Elysian is developing a 90-seat aircraft, the E9X, which is designed to fly up to 800 kilometres before recharging. Together with the two airlines, the airframer will explore technological, operational and commercial requirements for such an aircraft, ahead of preliminary design and component testing planned for 2026, flight testing and certification in 2030 and full-scale production and entry into service by 2033. “It’s impossible to build an aircraft that truly breaks from industry conventions without intensive collaboration with operators and airports,” said Elysian Co-CEO and Chief Business Officer Daniel Rosen Jacobson as the the 2025 Paris International Air Show gets underway, during which there will be significant focus on new zero-emission aircraft and powertrains. 

Described by the companies as a knowledge-sharing initiative, the partnership will feature joint workshops to explore all aspects of electric aviation, on the ground and in the air, to ensure the successful introduction of next-generation regional fleets.  

“This collaboration yields crucial insights from technical requirements to passenger experience and network integration, helping us determine which destinations are operationally and economically viable,” said Jacobson. “It’s eye-opening that we can operate more sustainably and cost-effectively than trains, and that busy routes like Amsterdam – London prove entirely feasible with electric flight.”

KLM has for years operated short-haul inter-city routes within Europe and to the UK through its CityHopper subsidiary, and was a key customer of another Dutch airframer, Fokker, variously deploying its F27 and F50 turboprops and F28, F70 and F100 regional jets.  

The airline is focusing on a broad suite of initiatives including the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel and deployment of electric ground service equipment, and has flagged as part of its Climate Action Plan the potential introduction of zero emission aircraft from the mid-2030s to replace its smallest, fossil fuelled planes.

“In collaboration with industry partners, the airline is researching flights powered by electricity, hydrogen and hybrid fuels,” said Jolanda Stevens, KLM’s Zero Emission Aviation Programme Manager, and a member of the Elysian aircraft advisory board since April 2024.

“By gaining a deeper understanding of the aircraft’s design and operations, we can contribute our expertise to shape the final product. Moreover, this collaboration enables us to envision how our sector can transform.”

Electrification of short haul flight “represents a promising direction we firmly believe in,” added Oliver Newton, Transavia’s Lead, Sustainability and Innovation. “Through this collaboration we can take concrete steps towards sustainable air transport while maintaining our focus on commercial and operational feasibility.

“Connecting technical innovations with customer service, network and costs presents a challenge, but we’re fully committed to this effort.”

Elysian describes its E9X as “the world’s first large-scale battery electric aircraft,” a bold undertaking given the delays, redesigns and failures of other electric plane concepts, the result of issues ranging from the lack of maturity and significant weight of current battery systems to lengthy and expensive certification programmes.

The initial Elysian concept is powered by eight wing-mounted electric engines, each fitted with five-blade propellers.

The E9X is designed to seat up to 90 passengers and fly up to 800 kilometres on a single charge. But the company is also flagging the development of a longer-range version, able to fly up to 1,000 kilometres before recharging, enabling one-stop journeys of up to 2,000 kilometres.

In coming months, KLM, Transavia and Elysian will study use cases, route analyses and passenger propositions for the E9X, expressing a joint ambition “not only to build a more sustainable aircraft but to design a complete ecosystem around it.”

In addition to the two airlines, Elysian’s E9X partners are well credentialled, including the aerospace support company Fokker Services Group, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre, the German aviation research group DLR, Delft University of Technology, and Dutch investment group Panta Holdings.

As well as KLM’s Jolanda Stevens, Elysian’s supervisory and advisory board includes the CEOs of Fokker Services, Eindhoven Airport and Air Traffic Control Netherlands, plus former executives of the Dutch National Rail Service and electric vehicle company Tesla.

Among the competitors to Elysian is another Dutch regional aircraft start-up, Maeve, which has just revealed preliminary plans for the Maeve Jet, a new hybrid-electric regional aircraft, seating up to 95 passengers, and claiming 40% less fuel consumption than current regional jets.  The company had earlier proposed an 80-seat hybrid electric turboprop, and before that a 44-seat version. It will soon announce more details of the proposed jet.

Image: A render of the Elysian E9X

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

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