Battery-electric passenger flights

How far are battery-electric aircraft from scheduled passenger service?

A two-seat battery-electric trainer, the Pipistrel Velis Electro, has held a type certificate since 2020. Larger electric and hybrid-electric aircraft have flown as demonstrators, most recently a Heart Aerospace X1 flight in August 2026. No electric passenger aircraft beyond the two-seat class is in scheduled service in the sources reviewed. Battery energy density is the main limit: current cells store far less energy per kilogram than jet fuel, and NASA studies find that all-electric airliners need much better batteries. Hybrid designs keep fuel on board as a bridge, and the first commuter airliner dates are company targets.

AI illustration · Illustrative scene, not a photograph of the specific device or experiment.
WHERE WE AREEngineering prototypes

Getting closer. Prototypes exist, but not in real-world use.

A battery-electric aircraft has been type-certified, but only as a two-seat trainer. Larger electric and hybrid-electric aircraft have flown as demonstrators, and NASA and GE Aerospace reported a megawatt-class hybrid-electric system flying on a modified Saab 340B in 2026. The sources reviewed show no certified electric passenger aircraft larger than that trainer, and none in scheduled service, so the stage is engineering prototype.

The tech tree

Everything recorded on Vrulum that this future needs, oldest foundations at the top and the goal at the bottom. Lines show what each step requires.

What it takes: Battery-electric passenger flights Unlocked Being researched Locked
  1. 1859PowerLead-acid batteriesCommercial Unlocked.
  1. 1976PowerLithium-ion batteriesCommercialRequires: Lead-acid batteries. Unlocked.
  1. 2016Solid-state batteriesResearch and prototypesRequires: Lithium-ion batteries. Being researched.
  1. 2020Electric aircraftPilot and early commercialRequires: Solid-state batteries. Unlocked.
  1. 2020Certified battery-electric trainerDone Unlocked.
  2. 2022Nine-seat Alice electric aircraft flies onceDone Unlocked.
  3. 2025Certified electric motor for light aircraftDone Unlocked.
  4. 2026Megawatt-class hybrid-electric system flown on a modified Saab 340BDone Unlocked.
  5. 2026Battery-electric demonstrator flightDone Unlocked.
  6. Date not recordedBattery energy density for a larger all-electric aircraftIn progress Being researched.
  7. Date not recordedCertification of a larger electric passenger aircraftNot started Locked.
  8. Date not recordedProduction aircraft in scheduled passenger serviceNot started Locked.
  1. GoalBattery-electric passenger flightsGoalRequires: Electric aircraft, Certified battery-electric trainer, Certified electric motor for light aircraft, Nine-seat Alice electric aircraft flies once, Megawatt-class hybrid-electric system flown on a modified Saab 340B, Battery-electric demonstrator flight, Battery energy density for a larger all-electric aircraft, Certification of a larger electric passenger aircraft, Production aircraft in scheduled passenger service. Locked.

The road so far

5 of 8 steps done, 1 in progress.

  1. Done · Jun 2020Certified battery-electric trainer

    Pipistrel's Velis Electro, a two-seat trainer, received a type certificate. AVweb reported this on 10 June 2020 and called it the first type certificate for a fully electric aircraft. AVweb gives an endurance of up to 50 minutes plus VFR reserve. [1]

  2. Done · Feb 2025Certified electric motor for light aircraft

    EASA certified Safran's ENGINeUS 100 electric motor in early February 2025 under special condition SC E-19. FlyingMag quotes EASA calling SC E-19 the world's only special condition for electric and hybrid propulsion systems. The first planned use is Diamond Aircraft's eDA40. FlyingMag says the certification process addressed high-voltage fire risks. [2]

  3. Done · 2022Nine-seat Alice electric aircraft flies once

    Eviation's Alice, designed to carry nine people, flew once in 2022. The company had hoped to begin deliveries in 2027, but it paused Alice work in February 2025 and laid off most of its staff. Its majority owner says it remains committed to the venture and is seeking long-term strategic partners. [3]

  4. Done · 20 Jul 2026Megawatt-class hybrid-electric system flown on a modified Saab 340B

    NASA and GE Aerospace reported on 20 July 2026 that a megawatt-class hybrid-electric system, combining electric motors, a gas turbine and energy storage, had flown on a modified Saab 340B. NASA says it is the first hybrid-electric powered aircraft to fly above 30,000 feet. The report gives no fuel-burn, cost or emissions figures. [4]

  5. Done · 12 Aug 2026Battery-electric demonstrator flight

    Heart Aerospace's X1 flew on 12 August 2026 under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category. The company reports a 27-minute piloted flight at 1,100 feet above ground and more than one megawatt of electric propulsion power. It describes X1 as a demonstrator aircraft. The flight is not a certified passenger service. [5]

  6. In progressBattery energy density for a larger all-electric aircraft

    NASA says it is developing new battery technologies that are lighter, safer and more efficient. A NASA Ames conceptual study of a 150-passenger all-electric aircraft with an 840 NM range assumes a cell-level specific energy of 1330 Wh/kg, which it calls a stretch goal. The study says lithium-ion cells at about 300 Wh/kg are too low for other than short hops with low passenger counts. [7][10][9]

  7. Not startedCertification of a larger electric passenger aircraft

    The sources reviewed show no certified electric passenger aircraft beyond the two-seat trainer. Heart's X1 is an experimental demonstrator. FlyingMag reports that the Safran motor certification had to address high-voltage fire risks, which are a distinct hazard for electric propulsion. [5][2]

  8. Not startedProduction aircraft in scheduled passenger service

    Heart's stated target is entry into service of the ES-30 in 2031. Heart's product page lists specifications for a 36-seat ES-36, including 200 km all-electric range and 1,200 km hybrid range, and presents them as forward-looking specifications rather than certified performance. Eviation has no confirmed restart date for Alice. A NASA design exploration concluded that electrified aircraft concepts were not competitive with conventional baselines, mainly because of higher depreciation and interest costs. [5][6][3][8]

Why it matters

Short regional routes are the likeliest first use of electric flight, because NASA Ames says current battery energy suits only short hops with low passenger counts. Their progress shows whether aviation can cut emissions on journeys that are easiest to electrify. The same work also exposes the costs and risks that come with it, including battery fire safety, high-voltage systems and certification of new propulsion types.

What stands in the way

  • Battery energy density is far below jet fuel. NASA's 2022 report gives up to 265 Wh/kg for lithium-ion cells, against 12,000 Wh/kg for aviation fuel.
  • Battery mass stays on board for the whole flight, while fuel mass falls as it is burned. NASA's 2022 report identifies this as a key difference between batteries and fuel.
  • Heat from electrical systems must be removed. NASA's electrified aircraft FAQ says that in current power systems about 20% of energy is dissipated as excess heat that must be cooled.
  • Battery fire risk. A NASA Ames study says lithium dendrites can short-circuit a cell and cause a fire, and that current cells are not safe enough for use in large quantities on aircraft.
  • Economics. A NASA design exploration found that electrified aircraft concepts were not competitive with their conventional baselines, mainly because of higher depreciation and interest costs.
  • High-voltage certification. The certification of the Safran motor had to address high-voltage fire risks, which are specific to electric propulsion.
  • Funding. Eviation paused Alice work and laid off most of its staff in February 2025, and the programme has no confirmed restart.

Published forecasts

What others have predicted. These are their estimates, not ours.

WhoForecastTimeframeMade
Heart AerospaceEntry into service of the 30-seat ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft, targeted for 2031. The release also says the ES-30 would cut aircraft operating costs by more than 40% compared with legacy regional aircraft. This is a company claim for a planned aircraft, not a demonstrated result. [5]203113 Aug 2026

Signals to watch

  • NASA or GE Aerospace publish measured fuel-burn and cost data from the hybrid-electric system flown on the Saab 340B, against a stated baseline mission.
  • Heart Aerospace flies a configuration closer to the ES-30 or ES-36, or publishes the certification basis for it.
  • A regulator certifies an electric or hybrid passenger aircraft larger than the two-seat trainer.
  • Battery packs for flight reaching energy densities well above today's cells, or a design study showing that a lower battery requirement is enough for regional routes.
  • Eviation announces a new partner or a restart of Alice development.

Sources

  1. news
    Pipistrel Earns First Electric Aircraft Type Certificate
    AVweb, 10 Jun 2020.
  2. news
    Safran, EASA Certify First Airworthy Electric Motor
    FlyingMag, 5 Feb 2025.
  3. news
    Eviation Pauses Alice Development
    AVweb, 15 Feb 2025.
  4. government report
    NASA, GE Aerospace Work Enables Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstration
    NASA, 20 Jul 2026.
  5. company announcement
    Heart Aerospace Completes First Flight of World’s Largest Electric Aircraft
    Heart Aerospace, 13 Aug 2026.
  6. company announcement
    ES-36 product page (undated; footer shows 2026)
    Heart Aerospace, 2026.
  7. government report
    Electrified Aircraft Propulsion Frequently Asked Questions (undated; page last updated 31 December 2025)
    NASA, 31 Dec 2025.
  8. conference paper
    Results for an Electrified Aircraft Propulsion Design Exploration
    Ty V. Marien, Nathaniel J. Blaesser, Zachary J. Frederick et al.. NASA Technical Reports Server, Aug 2021.
  9. government report
    Powering the Future of Electric Aviation (NASA/TM-20220015157)
    Tanay Dalmia, Defne Doken, Aditi Kumar et al.. NASA Ames Research Center, Oct 2022.
  10. conference paper
    Feasibility Study of an All-Electric 150 Passenger Aircraft
    Gregory G. Zilliac, Jeffrey V. Bowles, Robert K. Fong et al.. NASA Ames Research Center, Jul 2024.

Last reviewed 21 Oct 2026.