Largest all-electric aircraft completes first test flight, spending just $5 on electricity

Heart Aerospace, a Swedish aerospace company, flew its X1 demonstrator aircraft for the first time on August 12 at Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York. The flight lasted nearly half an hour and used roughly $5 worth of electricity, a notable milestone at a time when jet fuel prices have surged due to the US conflict with Iran.

The X1 is roughly the size of a small regional airliner, with a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 25,000 pounds. Four wing-mounted electric motors power the aircraft, and its battery-electric propulsion system delivered more than one megawatt during the test flight.

Benefits and current limits

All-electric aircraft promise quieter, cleaner operation, since they produce no emissions from burning jet fuel. They could also offer more predictable operating costs, avoiding the price swings that geopolitical events cause for jet fuel. However, current battery-electric technology generally supports only short flights of about 100 to 200 miles, which is why it has so far mainly been applied to air taxi services from companies like Joby and Archer.

Heart Aerospace is not aiming to commercialize a purely all-electric aircraft in the near term. Instead, data from the X1 and an upcoming X2 demonstrator will inform development of the company's main product: the ES-30, a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner. The ES-30 would pair two inboard electric motors with jet-fuel-burning turboprop engines, enabling 125 miles of all-electric flight and up to 500 miles of range in hybrid mode.

That extended range would let the ES-30 serve popular short-haul routes connecting major cities in the US and Europe. United Airlines has already committed to purchasing 100 of the aircraft, and several other major airlines have signed letters of intent to buy them as well.