Following the electrification of the automotive sector, the idea of electric-powered flight for commercial air transportation is becoming, in the eye of the public, the main hope for greener air transportation. To what extent can electric aircraft reduce the energy and environmental footprint of aviation? How should they look like and how does their operation compare to conventional jet aircraft? What technologies are needed, and which of them are already in place? This paper analyses critically some of the unresolved challenges that lay ahead. Current commercial operations are examined and short-term effects of electrification are identified. Fundamental components, basic design and operating concepts are analysed to highlight unavoidable constraints that seem often overlooked. It becomes clear that electric propulsion alone will not fully meet society’s expectations even if key enabling technologies develop as forecasted. Nevertheless, this paper suggests that electrification may instead become one piece of a propulsion-technology mix that would address more effectively our short- and long-term goals.