Heart Aerospace

Last updated

Heart Aerospace
Company type Private
Industry Aerospace Engineering, Aviation
Founded2019;6 years ago (2019) in Gothenburg, Sweden
Founder
  • Anders Forslund
  • Klara Forslund
Headquarters Los Angeles, United States
Key people
  • Anders Forslund (CEO)
  • Klara Forslund (CBO)
  • Ben Stabler (CTO) [1]
Number of employees
130 (2022)
Website heartaerospace.com

Heart Aerospace is an American aerospace manufacturer based in Los Angeles, California. It is developing a 30-seat hybrid-electric powered regional airliner.

Contents

Heart Aerospace was founded in 2019 by Anders and Klara Forslund in Gothenburg, Sweden. [2] In 2024, the company maintained headquarters in Gothenberg and a research and development facility in California. [3] By 2025, the company had moved the headquarters and all operations to Los Angeles. [4] [5]

History

Heart Aerospace was established in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2019 by Anders and Klara Forslund. [6]

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. [7]

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. [8] [9]

In May 2024, Heart Aerospace announced the establishment of a new research and development hub in Los Angeles [10] [3] and the Forslunds moved there to oversee operations. [11] In 2025 the company closed their Swedish operations and moved their headquarters to Los Angeles. [4] [5]

Aircraft

Heart Aerospace founder and CEO Anders Forslund showcases a cutaway rendering of the ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft and its propulsion system in 2024. Heart Aerospace Founder & CEO Anders Forslund Presents ES-30 Hybrid-Electric Propulsion.jpg
Heart Aerospace founder and CEO Anders Forslund showcases a cutaway rendering of the ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft and its propulsion system in 2024.
Ground crew conducting a turnaround test of Heart Aerospace's X1 prototype, loading baggage and preparing the aircraft for simulated flight in September 2024. Heart Aerospace X1 Prototype Aircraft Turnaround Test.jpg
Ground crew conducting a turnaround test of Heart Aerospace’s X1 prototype, loading baggage and preparing the aircraft for simulated flight in September 2024.

Heart Aerospace’s first design, the ES-19, was unveiled in 2020 following their participation in the 2019 Y Combinator's Winter Batch. [12] The ES‑19 was a 19‑seat, all‑electric regional aircraft concept designed for short-haul routes of approximately 400 kilometres (250 mi). [13] In June 2022, the company changed their application to a heavier weight category and EASA CS-25 certification which would not require an exemption from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for being overweight. [14] [15] This design was then superseded in September 2022 by the ES-30. [16] [17]

The ES-30 is a 30-seat hybrid-electric powered regional airliner, designed for enhanced sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes. It 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 carbon dioxide 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. [18] Development of the ES 30 is partially funded by a $4.1 million FAST grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for the design of hybrid engine control systems. [19] [20] The company aims to achieve type certification for the ES-30 by the end of the 2020s. [21]

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. [21]

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. [18] [21]

Order summary

DateCustomerOrdersOptionsNotes
13 July 2021 United Airlines 10050Originally ordered ES-19, later reconfirmed for ES-30 [22] [23]
13 July 2021 Mesa Airlines 10050Originally ordered ES-19, later reconfirmed for ES-30 [22] [23]
15 September 2022 Air Canada 30 [23]
10 May 2023Rockton2020Aircraft leasing company [24]
Totals250120

The company also has letters of intent (non-firm orders) for a further 191 airplanes from Braathens Regional Airlines, Loganair, Icelandair, JSX, Scandinavian Airlines, Sounds Air, and Sevenair Air Services. [25]

References

  1. "Meet Heart Aerospace". Heart Aerospace.
  2. Ternby, Lovisa (27 April 2023). ""Många tyckte att vi var helgalna"". Dagens industri.
  3. 1 2 Alcock, Charles • Managing (13 September 2024). "Heart Rolls Out Technology Demonstrator for Hybrid-electric Airliner". Aviation International News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Electric plane maker Heart Aerospace moves to US in blow to Sweden". Reuters. 30 April 2025.
  5. 1 2 Hardy, Grace (30 April 2025). "Heart Aerospace leaves Sweden for the States". Lara News.
  6. Constine, Josh (19 March 2019). "The top 10 startups from Y Combinator W19 Demo Day 1". TechCrunch. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Billing, Mimi (1 February 2024). "Bill Gates-backed electric plane startup Heart Aerospace flies high with $107m raise". sifted.eu.
  10. "Heart Aerospace expands with new US R&D hub and CTO appointment". www.techarenan.news (in Swedish). 17 May 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. Billing, Mimi (30 April 2025). "Heart Aerospace ditches Europe to focus on US operation". Sifted.
  12. Constine, Josh; Clark, Kate; Matney, Lucas; Kumparak, Greg (18 March 2019). "Here are the 85+ startups that launched at YC's W19 Demo Day 1". TechCrunch.
  13. Alcock, Charles (23 September 2020). "Heart Aerospace Advances Plans For ES-19 Electric Regional Airliner". Aviation International News.
  14. Perry, Dominic (16 June 2022). "Heart switches ES-19 certification to CS-25 category to meet US requirements". Flight Global.
  15. Alcock, Charles (21 June 2022). "Heart Switches to CS-25 Certification Plan for ES-19 Electric Regional Airliner". Aviation International News.
  16. Harrington, Tony (22 September 2022). "Heart Aerospace switches its 19-seat electric aircraft to a 30-seat version with reserve-hybrid power". Green Air News.
  17. Klišauskaitė, Vytė (15 September 2022). "Heart Aerospace reveals hybrid-electric aircraft design called ES-30". AeroTime.
  18. 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.
  19. "$4.1 million FAA grant for Heart Aerospace". Aerospace Global News.
  20. "Heart Aerospace received FAA's grant to accelerate the airline electrification". AvioRadar. 12 September 2024.
  21. 1 2 3 "Heart Aerospace Plans To Use The X1 As An ES-30 Development Tool | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. "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.
  25. "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.