👁️ Heart Aerospace’s X1 Completes First Electric Flight

The X1 made its debut flight at Plattsburgh International Airport, New York, using only battery power. It flew for 27 minutes at about 335 meters altitude, consuming just $5 worth of electricity for the entire trip including takeoff and landing.

Heart Aerospace calls the X1 a flying testbed for its technology. The real target is the ES-30, a 30-seat regional plane with a hybrid powertrain. It aims for 200 km on batteries alone and up to 800 km with hybrid support.

Electric motors cut costs beyond cheap electricity, offering simpler maintenance and higher reliability. Heart plans for the ES-30 to start with a single pilot and eventually fly without one. The company expects this by 2031.

📊@tech