Swedish startup Heart Aerospace has unveiled its first full-scale demonstrator model of a hybrid-electric aircraft. Its goal is to be able to conduct commercial flights by the end of 2029, a year later than originally planned.
Heart presented the prototype, called HX-1, yesterday in its hangar in Gothenburg. We were on tour at the beginning of the year.
The HX-1 prototype in front of Heart's hangar in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
The company will initially use the aircraft for ground-based tests. The first flight is planned for the second half of 2025 at the latest. It is said to be the largest electric aircraft ever to take to the skies.
“The fact that we were able to bring a 30-seat demonstrator with a brand new propulsion system to market is a testament to the ingenuity and commitment of our team. [built] “The development of the new system was largely carried out internally in less than two years,” said Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace.
Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace, stands in front of the HX-1. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
The HX-1 in front of the hangar. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
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Heart X1 will serve as a springboard for the development of Heart’s ES-30 hybrid-electric aircraft. This Hybrid electric 30-passengerThe airliner will a range of around 200 km. Brussels to Amsterdam? No problem. And if necessary, a reserve engine increases the range to a maximum of 800 km.
That may not sound like much, but almost a third of all flights in the EU travel less than 500 km, so Eurocontrol. The ES-30 could provide a cleaner alternative to short-haul flights around the world.
Hangar Day guests take a look inside the HX-1. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
The cabin of the HX-1 has space for 30 passengers. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
The cockpit of the HX-1 offers space for two pilots. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
Heart Aerospace has already250 orders and 191 letters of intent for the ES-30 from companies such as United Airlines and Mesa Airlines. The Scandinavian airline SAS has already Ticket sales for the first electric flights with the ES-30 last year.
Heart had initially aimed for a type certification for 2028 that would enable commercial flights, but has now postponed that date to “the end of this decade.” TThe delay in the schedule is not too surprising considering the immense complexity and cost involved in building and certifying any new aircraft – let alone a battery-powered one.
But even with the extended deadline, Heart still has a lot of work to do if it wants to deliver on time.
Development runway
After some ground tests in the coming weeks, the H-X1 will be dismantled and transported to the USA in preparation for its first flight. The exact flight destination has not yet been determined, said Forslund at yesterday's presentation.
The demonstrator has a fuselage and wings made of composite material and, unlike the final version, is powered exclusively by four 400 kW electric motors, which are supplied by The Italian company Phase.
The H-X1 from Heart Aerospace is equipped with four electric motors. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
The H-X1 is charging. Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
The next prototype, the HX-2, will introduce Heart's own hybrid propulsion system, combining electric motors and turboprop engines. The H-X2's first hybrid-electric flight is planned for 2026.
Heart is now bringing battery development in-house to better integrate the technology and optimize it for safety and performance, it said. The company is also focusing on developing control systems for managing hybrid drives, which will be funded in part by a $4.1 million grant from the United States. Federal Aviation Administration.
Heart eventually plans to build a highly automated “pilot factory” to produce aircraft parts quickly and efficiently. The goal is to initially build one aircraft per month. Long-term production goals, according to Forslund, are to produce up to one aircraft per week.
Heart, which employs over 130 people, has raised $145 million from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the European Innovation Council and EQT, but Forslund calls the ES-30 a “billion-dollar project.” The company said it will continue to seek public and private funding to fuel its growth, but did not provide further details at this time.
Where Heart ultimately locates and builds its aircraft factory will depend largely on public subsidies, Forslund said, but the company's decision to test the HX-1 in the U.S. and support from the FAA may provide a clue.
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