World's Largest Electric Plane Takes Flight in 27-Minute Test

Heart Aerospace, a Swedish aviation startup, has achieved a milestone with the first flight of its X1 all-electric aircraft. The full-scale demonstrator successfully completed a 27-minute flight powered entirely by batteries, reaching an altitude of about 335 meters. The cost of electricity for this test flight was a mere $5.

The X1, with a wingspan of 32 meters and a length of 23 meters, has a takeoff weight exceeding 11,000 kilograms. Its flight, which included taxiing, takeoff, climb, maneuvering, and landing, was conducted after obtaining a special airworthiness certificate for experimental aircraft from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is recognized as the largest battery-electric fixed-wing aircraft flown to date based on wingspan and takeoff weight.

However, the X1 is not intended for passenger service. Instead, it serves as a demonstrator to validate electric propulsion, flight control, and aerodynamic technologies. The company's ultimate goal is the ES-30, a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft. Heart Aerospace aims to begin flight testing the ES-30 in 2028, with commercial operations slated for 2031. The ES-30 will utilize a hybrid-electric design, not solely relying on batteries.

Heart Aerospace projects that the production version of the ES-30 could reduce operating costs by over 40% compared to traditional regional aircraft. While this first flight does not signify the immediate replacement of existing passenger planes by electric aircraft, it marks a crucial advancement, moving large battery-electric aircraft from ground testing into actual flight. This achievement is a vital testing milestone for an industry grappling with the challenges of battery weight, range, and cost for commercial aviation.

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Wheels up! Heart X1 has flown. 106-foot wingspan. 25,000+ pounds. The largest battery-electric aircraft ever flown. Its 27-minute, all-electric first flight used $5.00 of electricity. Electric flight at commercial-aircraft scale.