Heart Aerospace

Last updated

Heart Aerospace
Company type Private
Industry Aircraft manufacturing
Founded2019;6 years ago (2019)
Founder
  • Anders Forslund
  • Klara Forslund
Headquarters Gothenburg, Sweden
Key people
Number of employees
130 (2022)
Website heartaerospace.com

Heart Aerospace is a Swedish aerospace manufacturer based in Gothenburg. It is developing a 30-seat hybrid-electric powered regional airliner.

Contents

Company overview

Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, Heart Aerospace maintains a research and development facility in Los Angeles, California, United States. [1] Founded in 2019 by Anders and Klara Forslund, the company employed approximately 100 individuals as of 2024. [2]

Product

Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-30, a 30-seat hybrid-electric powered regional airliner, designed for enhanced sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes.

The ES-30 is projected to have an electric-only range of 200 kilometres (110 nautical miles) and a hybrid-electric range of 400 km (220 nmi), significantly reducing CO2 emissions compared to conventional aircraft on similar routes. With a reduced passenger load of 25, a range of 800 km (430 nmi) may be achievable. [3]

The company aims to achieve type certification for the ES-30 by the end of the 2020s. In 2024, Heart Aerospace unveiled its first full-scale demonstrator aircraft, the Heart X1 (Heart Experimental 1). The X1's maiden flight, powered solely by electricity, is anticipated in the second quarter of 2025. [4]

Following the X1 program, Heart Aerospace plans to construct a pre-production prototype, the Heart X2. The X2 will incorporate design refinements based on the X1's operational experience and will feature the company’s hybrid propulsion system, which is slated for a hybrid-electric flight demonstration in 2026. [3] [4]

Order summary

DateCustomerOrdersOptionsNotes
13 July 2021 United Airlines 10050Originally ordered ES-19, later reconfirmed for ES-30 [5] [6]
13 July 2021 Mesa Airlines 10050Originally ordered ES-19, later reconfirmed for ES-30 [5] [6]
15 September 2022 Air Canada 30– [6]
10 May 2023Rockton2020Aircraft leasing company [7]
Totals250120

The company also has letters of intent (non-firm orders) for a further 191 airplanes from Braathens Regional Airlines, Icelandair, JSX, Scandinavian Airlines, Sounds Air, and Sevenair Air Services. [8]

History

Heart Aerospace was established in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2019 by Anders and Klara Forslund. [9]

The company secured $35 million in Series A funding in 2021, led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, United Airlines Ventures, and Mesa Air Group, with participation from existing seed investors EQT Ventures and Lowercarbon Capital. [10]

In September 2022, Air Canada and Saab each invested $5 million in Heart Aerospace. Concurrently, Air Canada placed a purchase order for 30 ES-30 aircraft.

During 2024, Heart Aerospace raised a total of $107 million in Series B funding, increasing its total capital raised to $145 million. New investors included Sagitta Ventures, a Danish early-stage investment firm. Returning investors included Air Canada, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the European Innovation Council Fund, EQT Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, Norrsken VC, United Airlines, and Y Combinator. [11] [12]

In May 2024, Heart Aerospace announced the establishment of a new research and development hub in the United States. [13]

References

  1. ↑ Alcock, Charles • Managing. "Heart Sets Up U.S. R&D Hub for ES-30 Hybrid-electric Regional Airliner | AIN". Aviation International News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  2. ↑ Constine, Josh (19 March 2019). "The top 10 startups from Y Combinator W19 Demo Day 1". TechCrunch. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 Perry, Dominic (15 May 2024). "Heart reveals ES-30 redesign as it switches to off-the-shelf hybrid powertrain". Flight Global. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Heart Aerospace Plans To Use The X1 As An ES-30 Development Tool | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Heart Aerospace is one step closer to building an electric plane, closing $35M Series A round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, United Airlines and Mesa Air Group". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 13 July 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Heart Aerospace unveils new airplane design, confirms Air Canada and Saab as new shareholders". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 15 September 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "Swedish leasing company Rockton to buy up to 40 ES-30 airplanes from Heart Aerospace". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 10 May 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "AirAsia Joins Heart Aerospace's Industry Advisory Board to Shape the Future of Air Travel". Heart Aerospace (Press release). 12 September 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  9. ↑ Constine, Josh (19 March 2019). "The top 10 startups from Y Combinator W19 Demo Day 1". TechCrunch. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  10. ↑ Alamalhodaei, Aria (13 July 2021). "Heart Aerospace raises $35M Series A, lands order with United and Mesa Airlines for 200 aircraft". TechCrunch. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. ↑ Perry, Dominic (15 September 2022). "Sweden's Heart Aerospace scales up to develop 30-seat hybrid-electric ES-30". Flight Global. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  12. ↑ Billing, Mimi (1 February 2024). "Bill Gates-backed electric plane startup Heart Aerospace flies high with $107m raise". sifted.eu.
  13. ↑ "Heart Aerospace expands with new US R&D hub and CTO appointment". www.techarenan.news (in Swedish). 17 May 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
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