Hardware Podcasts

Why Electric Aviation Is Finally Becoming Possible | Anders Forslund

Hardware to Save a Planet · 3 Sept 2026 · 43m · Episode 103

What this episode covers

Anders Forslund, Co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace, explains how the company is developing the ES-30, a 30-passenger hybrid-electric regional aircraft, to decarbonize short-haul flights. He details the economic viability of the project, noting that battery energy density hitting 400 watt-hours per kilogram and leveraging commoditized automotive supply chains have made unit economics favorable, with test flight energy costs under $10. Forslund discusses the technical challenges of certification, the importance of physical testing over simulation, and the strategic decision to build a clean-sheet airframe to avoid the 'lost generation' of engineering knowledge in legacy aerospace.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Heart Aerospace, United Airlines, Air Canada, Breakthrough Energy, Y Combinator, Lower Carbon Capital, Tesla, Rivian, SpaceX, Boeing, ATR, SAS, Air New Zealand
Products
ES-30, X1
Also
Chalmers University, MIT, FAA

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