Swedish company Heart Aerospace has opened a new R&D hub in the USA as the company enters a new phase of hardware testing in the development of its regional hybrid-electric airplane, the ES-30.
The R&D hub in Los Angeles, California will focus on the development of Heart’s hybrid-electric propulsion system. The company is moving its full-scale aircraft demonstrator to the Los Angeles R&D hub, where it will be used to test the propulsion system.
Heart has appointed Benjamin Stabler as chief technology officer to lead the hub. Stablerjoins from SpaceX and was also the co-founder of Parallel Systems, a developer of automated, battery-electric freight rail vehicles.
Stabler is recruitomg a team for the US R&D hub, which will work closely with the organization based at the company’s headquarters in Gothenburg.
Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace, said, “The establishment of our US R&D hub signifies our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in aviation. We are working on a solution we call independent hybrid propulsion, and we aim to demonstrate electric flight during next year.
The ES-30 is a regional hybrid-electric airplane with a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers, promises to deliver unparalleled sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes. With a fully electric zero-emission range of 200 kilometers and an extended hybrid range of 400km, the ES-30 offers lower emissions and operating costs.
Heart Aerospace has already secured 250 orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for another 120 airplanes. The company also has letters of intent for a further 191 airplanes.
