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https://thedriven.io/2026/08/17/worlds-largest-battery-electric-aircraft-completes-first-flight-for-the-price-of-a-coffee/>
"The world’s largest battery-electric aircraft has completed its first flight
out of an airport in upstate New York in a journey that lasted 27 minutes.
American aviation and aerospace company Heart Aerospace says its X1
demonstrator aircraft completed its first flight last Wednesday, August 12,,
out of the company’s flight-test base at Plattsburgh International Airport, a
regional commercial airport serving a community of 20,000 people in upstate New
York.
The 27-minute flight saw the X1 reach an altitude of 1,100 feet, during which
its propulsion system delivered over one megawatt of power. But given that the
flight was powered entirely by the plane’s onboard battery systems, the X1 used
about $US5 worth of electricity – equivalent to around $A7, or a venti
cappuccino from Starbucks.
“With the first flight of X1, Heart Aerospace has demonstrated electric
flight at the scale of a commercial airliner,” said Anders Forslund, founder
and CEO of Heart Aerospace.
“Electric commercial aircraft have the potential to fundamentally reshape
airline economics and, ultimately, lower the cost of air travel for passengers.
“This is at the heart of our vision for abundant air travel, with
electrification enabling more affordable, frequent, and cleaner air service to
and from airports closer to home.”
Measuring 76 feet (23 metres) nose to tail and spanning 106 feet (32 metres),
Heart’s X1 also weighs more than 25,000 pounds at take-off, making it the
largest battery-electric aircraft to ever be flown."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
