Heart Aerospace: An All-Electric, Zero Emissions Aircraft Set to Take Off in 2026

The ES-19 will be able to cover short flight distances with zero carbon emissions.

Heavy jet liners need vast amounts of fuel to take off and maintain flight, making them by far the least sustainable form of travel. A new Swedish startup believes that a future of completely electric flight could be on the horizon.

Author Mark Newton, 10.01.20

Translation Mark Newton:

Although travelling by air was once available to only the rich and famous, civilian aviation has risen sharply in recent decades, especially thanks to short haul budget airlines. As such, the impact of this growth, and of aircraft on the environment in general, has come under increased scrutiny. In some places, especially Scandanavia, this was resulted in the no-fly movement and the social phenomenon of flygskam or ‘flight shaming’, which describes the sense of shame you feel about flying when cleaner – but often less convenient – alternative methods of travel are available.

Swedish startup Heart Aerospace is looking to clean up aviation’s reputation and turn it into an environmentally-sustainable means of travel for shorter, regional distances. To achieve this, they have been developing prototype aircraft which could, they claim, have zero operational emissions.

The technology behind their aircraft is not so fundamentally different from that of both traditional aircraft and electric vehicles. Simply put, to create and maintain lift beneath its wings, aircraft require large amounts of thrust. Most commonly, this is achieved through the use of specially developed aviation fuel which consists of a complex blend of hydrocarbons designed to deliver high performance output. This is especially important with larger aircraft which are generally much heavier and therefore require more thrust for flight.

Heart Aerospace intends to replace the fuel component of aircraft with large electric batteries not unlike those used in electric road vehicles. Until recently, such batteries were deemed too heavy to be used in flight, as the power they generated was insufficient for achieving lift. However, the explosion of the e-vehicle market has resulted in rapid advances in technology that could make electric airliners possible.

To this end, Heart Aerospace has produced the ES-19, a fully electric 19-seat turbo-prop airliner which appears on the surface to be very similar to a traditional aircraft when it comes to its specifications. However, the electric nature of the ES-19 not only allows it to produce zero carbon emissions while in flight, but according to Heart Aerospace, would also lead to less sound pollution and a smoother flight.

Currently, the ES-19 is expected to have a range of around 400 kilometres which means it will be unsuitable for long and short haul international flights. Instead, the ES-19 is looking to replace private commercial jets which operate on a regional level.

A sustainable option for short haul trips?

Although regional flights under 700 kilometres make up only a small fraction of these overall global emissions, they are, per capita, more polluting than long haul flights. On average, shorter regional flights produce around 251 grams per kilometre of carbon, compared to 195 grams per kilometre for long haul flights. This difference is due to the fact most fuel is used on take off and landing and less during high altitude level flight. The fact some private jet liners are used only by exclusive groups of people, and are often not fully occupied when in flight, compounds this issue further.

Heart Aerospace hopes the environmental credentials of the ES-19 will see it introduced as a method of speedy, and sustainable, regional travel. The ES-19 will also be able to land on shorter runways, allowing it to open up more smaller regional airfields that are often missed by major carriers. This, combined with its quieter engines, means it can land closer to cities and urban areas, therefore also reducing emissions produced by other vehicles serving major airports.

Furthermore, as battery technology and efficiency improves, Heart Aerospace hopes to one day target ‘narrow body’ short haul flights of around 2,000 kilometres. This sector accounts for a much larger portion of aviation pollution, resulting in around 43 percent of carbon emissions.

Currently, the ES-19 is expected to be certified for flight in 2026, where it will primarily serve Scandanavian cities. Both Norway and Sweden have committed themselves to fully electric domestic flights by 2030 and 2040 respectively. However, it is currently working through broader flight certification and is attracting airlines in other markets, such as North America, Asia and Europe.

TAGGED WITH
New Study Shows: Electromobility Could be Carbon Neutral by 2050

According to a new study, electric cars could become carbon neutral by 2050 - but if zero carbon mobility is ever to become reality, policy makers need to make a few key important changes.

Carbon Intensity Forecast: How Green Will Tomorrow’s Electricity Be?

A emissions-tracking tool, developed in Britain, is using machine learning to work out if the next 96 hours of electricity has been sustainably produced - offering a big boost to both energy-consumer transparency and the transition to renewables.

How Polluted is the Air You’re Breathing? Find Out By Making Your Own Air Pollution Sensor

A citizen science project from Stuttgart wants you to build your own air pollution sensors - helping to create a global map of particulate pollution and raise awareness for an issue which is thought to kill millions of people each year.

Portuguese Airline Starts Trialling Plastic-Free Flights

A Portuguese airline is aiming to be the first carrier in the world to become single-use plastic free by the end of this year. It's a positive step - although a miniscule one - in a hugely polluting industry.

Flygskam: The “Flying Shame” Movement That’s Taking Over Sweden

The Swedish concept of "flygskam" embodies a truly 21st century phenomenon - that icky feeling that you get when you take a flight because you know how bad it is for the environment to fly.

Wind Power – The New Aircraft Flying High to Harvest Green Energy

Higher, more efficient and definitely more mobile - students at the ETH Zurich are breaking new ground with a special airborne device for harvesting energy from the wind.