Sweden's first electric aircraft for passenger traffic is currently being developed in Gothenburg, and today the company presented the technology surrounding engines and batteries.
In six years, the plan is for the plane to fly passengers, says Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace.
– Yes, our goal is for the aircraft to be certified and fly its first commercial routes in the summer of 2026, says Anders Forslund.
The electric plane will have room for 19 passengers and be able to fly up to 400 kilometers, but there are many challenges left before everything can become a reality.
– Of course, there are still many technical challenges before it is certified. But the big challenge is that it is difficult to build an airline from scratch. It requires a lot of capital and there is a long lead time before we can start selling aircraft. So those are big challenges, says Anders Forslund.
The company receives funding from the EU and the state-run Vinnova, among other sources, but significantly more money will be needed in the future. The plan is to grow from the current twelve employees to 70 next year.
Sweden is far ahead in the development of electric aviation, says Fredrik Kämpfe at the Transportföretagen organization.
– This is one of the few projects in the world that is looking at this size of aircraft, i.e. larger electric aircraft. There are many who are looking at smaller electric aircraft, says Fredrik Kämpfe.
The advantages of electric flights are many, he says. For example, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and the ability to fly planes on new routes that are not currently economically viable.
– Routes that we cannot operate today due to the economy. You can fly them more easily with such an aircraft and get connections between people that you don't have today, says Fredrik Kämpfe.
Minister of Infrastructure, Social Democrat, Tomas Eneroth says that the development of electric aircraft is going faster than initially thought.
– It is a very positive development. It is happening faster than we had expected. It means that fossil-free aviation is within reach. Aviation is important for Sweden, but aviation really needs to change, says Tomas Eneroth.
Source: sverigesradio.se
