World’s Largest Electric Aircraft to Take Flight
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
The X1 demonstrator from Sweden's Heart Aerospace has been given the go-ahead for test flights by the FAA.
With a wingspan of 106 feet, a fuselage length of 76 feet, the Heart X1 is set to become the largest electric aircraft ever flown and will serve as a flying testbed for new green tech. The aircraft is a hybrid-electric plane designed to carry up to 30 passengers on short-haul regional flights.
It is equipped with two inboard electric motors and two outboard turboprop engines, meaning it can run on pure battery power, sustainable aviation fuel, or a mix of both. That not only lowers operating costs but also reduces carbon emissions.
It has an all-electric range of 124 miles and an extended hybrid range up to 497 miles. It can also be fully recharged in about 30 minutes and land on short runways measuring just 3,600 feet. Unsurprisingly, with that relatively short range and its limited seating capacity, Heart isn't looking to replace major airliners. Instead, the focus is on connecting smaller 'pocket airports' with roughly 2 acres of space in underserved communities.
The X1 is currently undergoing final preparations for its first flight in New York. It is expected to hit the skies in the next few days.
Click to expand | Images credit: Heart Aerospace
“Earning FAA flight authorization brings the X1 program to the threshold of first flight,” said Heart founder and CEO Anders Forslund. “With our certificate now in hand, our full focus is on flight. We are ready to get X1 in the air.”
Certification and service entry are planned for 2031, with the X1 program paving the way for a full-scale rollout.
