Heart Aerospace unveils prototype
Swedish manufacturer Heart Aerospace has unveiled is first full-scale prototype of its ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The aircraft is dubbed the Heart X1 and was presented to the world at Heart's facility at Gothenburg.
The X1 will, initially, be used for ground tests, focusing on charging operations, taxiing, and turnaround procedures. In the second quarter of next year, it's planned to conduct its first fully electric flight. This first flight will be conducted from a, so far undisclosed, location in the US.
While testing the X1, Heart will also produce a pre-production model, the X2, that will test the manufacturer's new assembly process. The X2 is planned to make its first flight in 2026 and will be doing so with its newly developed hybrid propulsion system.
Heart Aerospace finalised the design of the ES-30 in 2022 and has built the X1 mainly in-house over the last two years. The ES-30 will be able to carry 30 passengers. When flying fully electric, it will have a range of 200 kilometres. As a hybrid, it will be able to fly up to 400 kilometers.
Certification is scheduled for 2028 with deliveries starting in the same year. According to Heart Aerospace, it has secured 250 firm orders, with purchase options for another 120 aircraft. It also holds Letter of Intents (LoI) for 191 ES-30s.
Photo by Heart Aerospace.