Heart Aerospace Unveils 36-Seat ES-36 Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft
Heart Aerospace has unveiled the ES-36, a 36-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft that will replace the company’s previously announced ES-30 design. At the same time, US regional carrier JSX has signed a deposit-backed purchase agreement for 50 ES-36 aircraft, with purchase rights for a further 50.
The ES-36 features a two-nacelle configuration and series-hybrid electric propulsion system. Compared with the ES-30, the new aircraft adds six passenger seats and 1,415 pounds of payload capacity, representing a 20% increase in both while retaining the same maximum takeoff weight and battery capacity.
Heart says the revised configuration is intended to improve aircraft efficiency and reduce maintenance requirements. The ES-36 uses two electric powertrains, each incorporating a 1.65-megawatt electric motor driving a propeller. The change from four nacelles and propellers to two also reduces the number of propulsion components.
Ground-charged batteries provide an all-electric range of 125 miles (200 kilometres), plus reserves. For longer flights, the aircraft will use two megawatt-class turbogenerators, each powered by a compact gas turbine, to generate electricity for the propulsion motors. This gives the ES-36 a stated hybrid range of 745 miles (1,200 kilometres), plus reserves.
Heart is targeting operating costs at least 40% below those of legacy regional aircraft. The company said the ES-36’s 95-foot wingspan is approximately 11 feet shorter than that of the ES-30, while its short-field performance is intended to support operations at smaller and constrained airports.
The aircraft is also intended to operate without fuel burn during its all-electric flights, with Heart citing lower noise and zero operational emissions in that mode.
