Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) has asked Beta Technologies (Burlington, VT) to examine a larger battery-electric aircraft after concluding that the ALIA CX300 used in its recent demonstrator programme was too small to be cost-effective, chief executive officer Nikhil Ravishankar told New Zealand news outlet Newsroom.

Ravishankar said even a larger electric aircraft would remain limited to relatively short sectors. "I don't think a pure electric aircraft is going to replace a B787 Dreamliner any time soon," he said.

As previously reported by ch-aviation, Air New Zealand introduced the ALIA CX300 demonstrator in October 2025 under its next-generation aircraft initiative. During the four-month trial, it completed more than 100 flights covering 13,000 kilometres.

The carrier also placed a firm order for one ALIA CTOL (conventional takeoff & landing) in 2023, with options for two more and purchase rights for another 20. At the time, it planned to introduce the aircraft on domestic NZ Post cargo flights in 2026 and use the programme to prepare for larger fleet-replacing aircraft from 2030.

Air New Zealand's February 2026 statement wrapping up the demonstrator programme did not address the status of the order or the planned commercial service. Beta, however, continued to identify Air New Zealand as a key ALIA CTOL launch customer in its March 2026 annual report.

Air New Zealand has also evaluated all-electric and hybrid-electric aircraft from Eviation, VoltAero, and Heart Aerospace. It signed a letter of intent for up to 23 Eviation Alice aircraft in 2022, although development of the type was paused in 2025.