In the race to build a viable electric aircraft for commercial use, we have seen countless grand ideas but few fully realised planes. That’s why the recent unveiling of Heart Experimental 1 (HEART X1), a prototype for what will become the ES-30 aircraft from Sweden’s Heart Aerospace, is so exciting. It’s a real aeroplane that will fly and the first that we have seen of this size and class. Scheduled to be airborne in 2025, it will be the heaviest electric vehicle so far to take flight. “Aviation is approaching a crossroads where its growth ambitions clash with the need for decarbonisation,” says Anders Forslund, the ceo of Heart Aerospace, when Monocle arrives at the firm’s facility in Säve. “New technologies are urgently needed.” Indeed. Aviation emissions are projected to triple by 2050 to meet the demand of commercial and freight flights.

A hybrid-electric 30-seater regional aircraft, the ES-30 will fly 200km using two electric motors, while a pair of engines powered by jet fuel will be on standby. Airlines can thus have a green plane without some of the risks associated with battery-only aircraft. “The hybrid system allows for an extended range,” says Etienne Lemarchand, Heart’s avionics and systems lead. “If you hit 200km and want to extend the range or need to divert, the jet-fuel system kicks in.”

Several airlines have already expressed interest in the ES-30. These include usual Nordic suspects such as SAS, Braathens Regional Airlines (BRA) and Icelandair, and North America’s United Airlines and Air Canada. Some airlines have joined Heart’s advisory board to help develop the aircraft, which is likely to be ready for market in the next few years. “It’s an aircraft for short sectors and regional flying,” says Claudio Camelier, Heart’s head of marketing and product strategy. “Over the years, airlines lost interest in this market because the existing planes are expensive to operate.” Camelier leads the team that’s selling the aircraft. “We’re pitching this plane to airlines with an interest in reopening regional routes.”

Heart Aerospace says that the charging and battery system will allow 30-minute turnarounds between flights – a crucial piece of the puzzle for regional airline operations. But it’s conscious that a broader ecosystem needs to grow around electric aviation. “You need governments to be investing in green energy – and airports to be investing in the charging infrastructure,” says Camelier.
heartaerospace.com

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