Heart Aerospace X1 completes first flight of world's largest electric plane

Heart Aerospace has successfully completed the maiden flight of its X1 demonstrator, the largest battery-electric aircraft to date. The 27-minute test flight took place on August 12 at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York under a special experimental certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The X1 features a 32-meter wingspan, a length of 23 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 11 tonnes. During the flight, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 335 meters (1,100 feet) using an electric propulsion system that delivered over 1 megawatt of power. Notably, the energy consumed during the entire flight was estimated to cost approximately five US dollars.

The X1 serves as a technological testbed for the company’s future commercial model, the ES-30, a hybrid-electric regional aircraft designed to carry 30 passengers. Heart Aerospace aims to bring the ES-30 into service by 2031, targeting a 40% reduction in operating costs compared to conventional aircraft. Major airlines, including United Airlines and Air Canada, have already expressed interest in the project.