Hybrid-electric aircraft manufacturer Heart Aerospace is moving its corporate headquarters from Gothenburg, Sweden to Los Angeles, California, as it prepares to fly its first full-scale prototype for its maiden flight later this year.
Heart is to close its operations in Sweden, “to enable a bigger scale-up of the USA-based team,” the company said in a statement.
The company was founded in 2018 and is developing the ES-30 hybrid-electric. Heart Aerospace plans for the ES-30, which will have a capacity of 30 passengers, a fully-electric range of 200km (125 miles) and an extended hybrid range of 400km (250 miles) by the end of the decade.
The X1 is the company’s first full-scale aircraft in the ES-30’s development program. Heart has said the X1 has a 32m (105ft) wingspan, will make its first fully electric flight before July this year, at which time it will become the largest electric aircraft ever flown.
The X2 is scheduled to fly in 2026 to test the company’s hybrid propulsion system and further mature design and production methods.
The move to the USA will also bolster product development in the USA and support the upcoming experimental flights of the X1 and X2 prototypes, the company added.
Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace said, “Our move to Los Angeles prioritizes iterative development and deeper vertical integration.
“For the X2, we’re developing batteries, actuation systems, software, and hybrid-electric hardware in-house. This approach allows us to refine and enhance our systems continuously, just as we’ve done with the X1 prototype, which has seen extensive testing and major design updates since its initial rollout in 2024.”
“As our customers, partners, and investors are increasingly based in the US, we see greater opportunity in focusing our resources here. By consolidating our operations in Los Angeles, we can accelerate development, strengthen collaboration, and better position Heart Aerospace for the future.”
