China’s electric passenger aircraft completes first crewed flight

China’s CE-25A fully electric commercial passenger aircraft has successfully completed its first crewed flight, marking a step forward in the country’s efforts to develop electric aviation.

Developed by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the aircraft conducted the flight on November 14 in Shandong Province, carrying two pilots and a flight-test engineer.

It remained airborne for 16 minutes and 38 seconds, covering approximately 60.4 kilometres during the test flight.

Designed for short-distance travel between cities, the CE-25A can accommodate up to 19 passengers. It has a reported cruising speed of 300 kilometres per hour and a range of 400 kilometres.

Before its first crewed flight, the aircraft had completed 19 successful unmanned flight tests.

China’s aviation authorities have accepted its application for type certification, but the aircraft has yet to receive approval for commercial passenger operations.

The development reflects China’s growing efforts to advance electric aviation technology and explore alternative aircraft for regional transportation.

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