China's new all-electric plane, the CE-25A, has officially taken to the skies for its maiden piloted flight in Shandong province.
Built by COMAC, this 19-seater can cruise at 300km per hour and cover up to 400km, a big step for greener regional travel.
COMAC seeks certification for CE-25A
The CE-25A is a team effort between COMAC, CATL, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, featuring a distributed electric ducted-fan propulsion system mounted on its wings.
After this successful debut, COMAC has started the certification process with China's aviation authority.
Once approved, this could be a step toward developing electric-powered passenger aircraft for regional air travel, while China is among several countries pursuing electric and hybrid-electric aircraft for regional passenger travel.