Hybrid-electric aircraft developer Hart Aerospace has signed an agreement with Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea, to bring sustainable air travel to the region.
Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric plane with a planned all-electric range of 200 kilometers and an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers. A roadmap for electric aviation in Gotland has been developed with the goal of establishing at least one operator to fly electric aircraft commercially on and off the island.
The collaboration will look at the region's operational needs, technology requirements, ground infrastructure and maintenance, and business models. Last year, Heart Aerospace established a similar collaboration with the Åland Islands government.
In May, Hart Aerospace announced the latest design for the ES-30 and the opening of a new research and development facility in the U.S. Hart Aerospace co-founder and CEO Anders Forslund said the ES-30 is currently undergoing hardware testing, with the company aiming to bring the aircraft to market “within 10 years.”
“As we get closer to this goal, collaboration with airports, operators and local authorities will be key to ensuring we have the ecosystem needed to support electric aviation. We look forward to working with the Region of Gotland to make this a reality,” he added.
Hart Aerospace already has 250 orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for an additional 120. The company also has letters of intent for an additional 191 aircraft.
