Barriers to Adoption of Electric Aircraft in Regional Air Transport

ABSTRACT Electric aircraft represent a transformative innovation in the quest for sustainable aviation, particularly within the regional air transport sector, which is characterized by short-haul routes and high-frequency operations. With increasing global concerns over climate change, carbon emissions, and noise pollution, electric propulsion has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional fossil fuel-based aviation. These aircraft promise significant environmental benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, quieter operations, and improved energy efficiency (Brelje & Martins, 2019). Additionally, they hold the potential to reduce long-term operational costs due to lower fuel consumption and simplified mechanical systems, which translate into decreased maintenance requirements (Kharina et al., 2020). Despite these compelling advantages, the commercial adoption of electric aircraft remains in its early stages. This study investigates and analyzes the primary barriers hindering the integration of electric aircraft into regional aviation fleets. Through an extensive review of academic literature, government regulations, and industry reports, several critical challenges are identified. Among the most pressing are technological constraints—particularly the limited energy density of current lithium-ion batteries, which restrict flight range and payload capacity (Roland Berger, 2020). Current battery technologies do not yet support the energy-to-weight ratios required for efficient regional aircraft operations over extended routes.