Heart Aerospace is investing heavily in the production of battery-driven planes in Gothenburg, Sweden, and together with airport owner Castellum is investing in a new campus for electric aircraft industry at Säve airport.
Heart Aerospace is developing its first electric model, a battery-driven regional plane for up to 30 passengers, called ES-30. The company’s new facility at Säve airport, which will be called “Northern Runway”, includes a new headquarter, a research and development centre, a prototype hangar, a test-flight hangar, as well as a final assembly hall. Säve has no commercial flight traffic, which gives the company good access to its own runway.
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“We are very proud that Heart Aerospace has chosen Gothenburg for this stage of its expansion. In addition to expected 500 employees during this first phase, their activities will generate an additional 500 jobs in Sweden by 2025, and even more once serial production gets underway. We also expect a growing influx of expertise and capital to Gothenburg, which is already a world leader in future mobility,” Business Region Göteborg CEO Patrik Andersson said.
The venture is perhaps the most exciting the European aviation industry has seen in decades. Twenty-one established airlines, airport owners and leasing companies from around the world are part of a board advising Heart Aerospace on the design of its concept. Air Canada and Swedish Saab announce today that they are joining as shareholders.
“We aren’t just building a new electric airliner, but rather a new industry,” Heart Aerospace founder and CEO Anders Forslund said.
“With Northern Runway we will make electric air travel a reality and preserve flying for future generations.”
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To reinforce the operations at Gateway Säve specifically, Business Region Göteborg is also developing a plan to establish an open innovation environment focused on electrification and electric aviation, in cooperation with Region Västra Götaland.
The first phase of Heart Aerospace’s expansion will be complete in mid-2024, and the first tests of their new electric plane will be initiated in 2026. Heart Aerospace expects to deliver its first planes to customers in 2028.
