Hawaiian Airlines Backs 100-Seat Electric Seaglider For Greener Regional Travel

Hawaiian Airlines has teamed up with aerospace and maritime firm REGENT to work on an all-electric seaglider, an innovative sustainable regional transportation alternative for those situated near coastlines or on archipelagos. 

Dubbed the Monarch, the 100-seater seaglider is scheduled to be ready for launch by 2028, and will provide zero-emission trips for customers island hopping all over the region, at a fraction of the cost of existing methods including small planes and ferries. 

According to REGENT, the hybrid mode of transport operates within a wingspan of the water’s surface, combining the speed of an aircraft with the low operating costs of a boat. Not only is it built to the same safety standards as commercial airliners, but can travel up to 180 miles just using batteries. 

In fact, the company is currently working on next-generation batteries that will allow the Monarch to traverse routes up to 500 miles long. 

“Seagliders will be a game-changer for sustainable regional transportation in communities such as Hawaii,” said Billy Thalheimer, REGENT CEO.

“Through close partnerships with design partners and strategic investors such as Hawaiian Airlines, we can fully understand our operators and unlock their ability to provide zero-emission transportation solutions to their customers.” 

[via Interesting Engineering and REGENT, cover image via REGENT]