Largest all-electric aircraft in history will take flight in 2025

The world’s largest all-electric aircraft is set to take off on its first flight next year. 

Swedish aviation startup Heart Aerospace is gearing up to test out its full-sized demonstrator aircraft, known as Heart Experimental 1 or Heart X1, in upstate New York’s Plattsburgh International Airport.

The planned test flight is a major milestone in the development of Heart Aerospace’s 30-seat hybrid-electric regional passenger aircraft – the ES-30. 

Heart Aerospace says the ES-30 ‘promises unmatched sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes’. 

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The all-electric flight is set to take off next year

Heart Aerospace unveiled its demonstrator Heart X1 last September. 

At the time, the company announced that it would initially be used for ‘ground-based testing, focusing on charging operations, taxiing, and turnaround procedures’ before completing its ‘fully electric first flight in the second quarter of 2025’.

Now the aviation company has shared more details of the upcoming fully-electric first flight, revealing that the demonstrator plane will be brought to Plattsburgh International in early 2025. 

The X1 is currently ‘undergoing extensive tests of critical systems’ in preparation for the test flight. 

“We’re thrilled to join Plattsburgh’s thriving aerospace community as we push the boundaries of air travel towards a cleaner, more sustainable future,” said Heart Aerospace’s co-founder and CEO Anders Forslund in a statement. 

“Electric commercial airplanes have the potential to lower operating costs for US airlines, creating a powerful opportunity to reestablish regional air routes that stimulate local economies, boost tourism, and enhance access to urban hubs.

“We’re impressed by the leadership shown by New York’s North Country region in the support of next-generation airplanes.”

The Heart Aerospace ES-30 could be a game changer for the industry

The electric-hybrid ES-30 could be a major game-changer when it comes to sustainable travel. 

Heart Aerospace says it has an ‘all-electric, zero-emissions range of 200 kilometers and an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers’. 

But, of course, to get the ES-30 operational, Heart Aerospace will have to complete a lot of testing, research, and development. 

Which is where the X1 comes in. 

“The initial experimental flight of the Heart X1 demonstrator is designed to validate the capabilities of Heart’s innovative electric propulsion technology,” the company said. 

As yet, an official flight date for the aircraft hasn’t been shared but assuming the original plans to get it in the air during the second quarter of 2025 are plowing ahead, it shouldn’t be too long of a wait to see it in action.