The world’s largest fully battery-powered aircraft has taken to the skies for the first time, marking a major milestone in the push to make electric aviation a reality.

The aircraft, known as the X1, was developed by Los Angeles-based Heart Aerospace and used roughly $5 worth of electricity.

It has a wingspan of 106 feet, measures 76 feet from nose to tail and weighs more than 25,000 pounds.

The 30-seat aircraft took off from Plattsburgh International Airport in New York on August 12 and flew for 27 minutes using battery power alone.

It reached an altitude of 1,100 feet during the test flight and carried only a pilot.

The flight was an early demonstration for Heart Aerospace’s larger commercial ambitions, centred on the ES-30, a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft that the company hopes to put into service by 2031.

The ES-30 has already attracted interest from major airlines, including United Airlines, Air Canada and JSX, which are looking at the potential for lower maintenance costs and reduced exposure to fluctuations in jet fuel prices.

Heart Aerospace’s reported $5 figure refers only to the electricity consumed during the 27-minute test flight.

It does not represent the total cost of operating the aircraft and excludes expenses such as pilots, maintenance, airport charges, battery depreciation or replacement, financing, insurance and other airline operating costs.

The figure therefore represents the electricity bill for the experimental flight rather than the overall cost of flying the aircraft.

“With the first flight of X1, Heart Aerospace has demonstrated electric flight at the scale of a commercial airliner,” Heart founder and CEO Anders Forslund said in a statement.

Heart Aerospace was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, before relocating its headquarters to Los Angeles in April 2025 as it sought to accelerate development of its regional hybrid-electric aircraft.

The company is among a growing number of aviation firms seeking to harness advances in battery technology to reduce emissions from air travel, particularly on short regional routes.

Battery-powered aircraft could offer environmental benefits, especially when their electricity comes from renewable sources, by reducing reliance on conventional jet fuel.

Aviation accounts for an estimated 2.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions and also produces other heat-trapping pollutants, including nitrogen oxides.

The aviation industry has set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but technological and operational challenges continue to make that target difficult to achieve.

The X1’s maiden flight does not mean fully electric passenger flights are imminent.

The aircraft is primarily a technology demonstrator, while Heart Aerospace’s planned ES-30 will use a hybrid-electric propulsion system to achieve greater range and commercial viability.