Heart Aerospace X1 completes historic 1st flight on August 16
Technology
Heart Aerospace's X1, the world's biggest fully electric plane, made history with its first flight on August 16.
The 30-seater took off from Plattsburgh, New York, and cruised for 27 minutes at 1,100 feet, all powered by a battery system that can deliver over 1 megawatt.
X1 efficient but batteries limit service
The X1 is massive (106-foot wingspan and 11340kg), but flying it used only about $5 worth of electricity.
While that shows how efficient electric planes could be, the tech isn't ready for everyday airline use yet due to battery weight and limited range.
Anders Forslund, founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace, said, "With the first flight of X1, Heart Aerospace has demonstrated electric flight at the scale of a commercial airliner."