The company Heart Aerospace is based in Gothenburg in Sweden, one of Europe's centres for environment-related industries. The company, which was born in 2019, is an offshoot of a research programme on new sustainable transport solutionsfunded by the Swedish government through its Innovation Agency. Heart Aerospace is in fact one of the founding members of the Nordic network forelectric aviation. This network includes airlines and airport operators in the nordic countries.
In 2020, Heart received a €2.5 million grant from the European Investment Council as part of the European Green Deal. Since then, many private investors have supported the development of Heart Aerospace. These include two American air transport giants, Mesa Air Group Inc. and United Airlines Ventures.
Heart Aerospace is working to turn the idea of a electric air transportMore environmentally friendly than aircraft currently on the market. An aircraft that would help to meet the main challenges facing the aviation industry in terms of sustainable development. The company is therefore working on an aircraft, the ES-30. A regional aircraft with a standard capacity of 30 passengerspowered by battery-operated electric motors.
The ES-30 will have an all-electric range of 200 kilometres. On a hybrid model - which will use both electric and fuel propulsion - the range will be 400 kilometres with 30 passengers.. It will also be able to fly up to 800 kilometres with 25 passengers. With the prospect that in 2040An all-electric aircraft could cover a distance of 400 km.
Performance compatible with ecological objectives
The ES-30 also has the advantage of landing on short runways, with a minimum length of 1,100 metres. And because of its small size, it has a ground turnaround time of just 30 minutes.
The environment, the aircraft will emit zero CO2 emissions at airports and on journeys of up to 200 kmA distance that will increase with longer-range batteries. On hybrid-powered journeys, emissions per seat will be more than 50 % lower than for 50-seat turboprops.
For people living near airports, Heart Aerospace points out that electric motors generate less noise during take-off and landing.
Giving "secondary" towns an alternative by air
This aircraft would therefore be ideal for short journeys, particularly on routes departing from so-called secondary cities. And to reconnect them to a national and international network via major airline hubs. In France, for example, there are radial routes from Deauville, Limoges or Tours to Paris-CDG or Orly.. Or to cross-border flights to Nice-Marseille, Bordeaux-Toulouse or international flights such as Strasbourg-Zurich.
including Paris-Orly (DR)
New opportunities are opening up to offer an air network that would satisfy regional economic circles, travellers and environmentalists alike. An aircraft of this type would therefore be ideal for revitalising the aviation activity of France's ailing airports. These include Agen, Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, La Rochelle, Metz/Nancy and Pau.
Electric aircraft are set to become a reality from 2028. In North America, airlines are firm believers. Air Canada and United Airlines have already placed orders for several dozen ES-30s.
