Region Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea, has signed a collaboration agreement with hybrid-electric airplane maker Heart Aerospace to accelerate the introduction of sustainable air travel.
The Swedish Region Gotland aims to have at least one operator flying commercially with electric aircraft to and from the island. This initiative aligns with broader objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the region’s attractiveness.
The collaboration between Region Gotland and Heart Aerospace will explore operational needs, technical requirements, ground infrastructure and maintenance, and business models. Last year, Heart Aerospace announced a similar collaboration with the Government of Åland, an autonomous region in Finland.
Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric airplane with a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers, which promises to deliver sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes. With a fully electric zero-emission range of 200 kilometers and an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers, the ES-30 is set to offer lower emissions and operating costs.
Located off the south-east coast of mainland Sweden, Gotland is home to approximately 61,000 permanent residents, with its population growing dramatically during the summer months, as a popular vacation destination. Reliable and sustainable transportation is vital for Gotland’s accessibility and development.
A roadmap for the introduction of electric aviation on Gotland was developed by Science Park Gotland in the spring of 2024, on the initiative of Region Gotland, Gotland’s business community, and the electric aviation industry. The plan was officially revealed in June, 2024.
Meit Fohlin, Social Democrats, Chair of the Regional Executive Board, commented; “On Gotland, we are entirely dependent on air and ferry traffic to and from the island, and we must be able to travel sustainably. This decision to deepen the collaboration with Heart Aerospace is an important milestone in our journey towards sustainable communications.”
Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace, added; “Heart Aerospace has just entered an exciting new phase of hardware testing, and our aim is to have a hybrid-electric passenger plane on the market before the end of this decade.
“As we get closer to this goal, collaborations with airports, operators and regional authorities are crucial to ensure the eco-system needed to support electric aviation. We look forward to working together with Region Gotland to make this a reality.”
