What is EMRC Electric Aviation
Electric Mobility Research Center was founded in 2023 as a joint effort between LUT University research and the need for commercial companies to advance the electric mobility of the society. As we know, the world is getting more electric by the day and the need to reduce emissions in traffic is widely shared. EMRC began their research with cars but expanded rapidly towards heavy traffic, trucking and shipping. The charging needs for heavy equipment are very different to those of consumer charging of cars in every day life.
In 2025 the aviation industry developed innovations towards the electrification of aviation. Especially the drone technology has made big advances in drone technology, both civilian and dual use. Multiple companies are developing smaller aircraft, of which a number have already been certified and in use within the aviation community. Current battery technology is still limiting the development of 10-19 seater passenger aircraft but companies involved in the work are estimating the first certifications by the year of 2030.
Lappeenranta Airport as research platform
The EMRC Electric Aviation initiative develops and tests these technologies, infrastructure and operating models needed for low-emission flight. Together with LUT University and Lappeenranta Airport, has turned the Lappeenranta Airport into a research aerodrome — a platform for studying electric and hybrid aircraft, high-power charging, energy systems, aviation safety, and the new business models that future aviation will require. The work is led by the LUT Electric Mobility Research Centre and combines LUT’s scientific expertise in energy, electrical engineering and business with strong industry and regional partners.
Lappeenranta is uniquely suited to this research — The airport is fully approved EASA airport with all relevant functions. The city is close to electricity production, power lines and the local battery storage facility, near the eastern border where GNSS interference allows realistic study of disrupted-signal operations. Lappeenranta is part of the short-haul network with a strong need to connect the city with other regional cities of Finland. A wide range of Finnish airports and destinations such as Tallinn and Tarto in Estonia, are within the distances where electric aviation will provide connectivity to all travelers and tourism.
Why research of new aviation matters
Aviation industry understands the need to reduce its emissions. At the same time it is good to notice that the traditional traffic of 200 passenger aircraft has different ways to act when going greener. The new electric aircraft are planned for short haul traffic of 300-400 km to serve routes with thin passenger flows. Electric aviation is a totally new mode of transportation, which allows connectivity to the main hubs from sparsely populated areas. Within in Europe we have multiple areas, where the traditional modes of traffic do not offer adequate connections for tourism, industry or services. New aviation will hop over lakes, waterways, mountains or traffic congestion. Quiet and clean aviation will connect the regions in a totally new way while enabling to build a truly connecting aviation network,
Transition to electricity or hydrogen is still in its infancy compared with road transport. Strict aviation safety standards as well as the understandable technical requirements of aviation are still to be developed and approved. Electric propulsion is currently the leading candidate for the power train: electric motors reach up to around 85% efficiency, against roughly 35% for kerosene burned in a gas turbine, which makes electric flight increasingly cost-effective as renewable electricity grows. Electric engines are cheaper to maintain as well cheaper to operate.
Source: LUT University, “How can aviation reduce its emissions? This will be studied at the Lappeenranta airport” (2025).
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