China's electric airliner era starts with a 19-seat plane and 400 km of range

Key Points:

• COMAC’s CE-25A, a 19-seat battery-electric commuter plane with 10 electric ducted fans, completed its first crewed flight in Binzhou, Shandong, with all systems performing normally; it had previously completed 19 autonomous flights since February 2024.
• The CE-25A has a cruise speed of 300 km/h and a range of 400 km, and is currently undergoing airworthiness review by China’s aviation regulator, though no commercial service date has been announced.
• The aircraft is likely powered by advanced batteries from CATL, part of a joint venture with COMAC and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, aiming to develop high-energy-density batteries (~500 Wh/kg) suitable for electric aviation.
• Compared to Western electric aircraft efforts, such as Heart Aerospace’s X1 and Eviation’s Alice, the CE-25A represents China's advancing leadership in electric aviation technology, focusing initially on short regional routes.
• This development reflects China’s broader push to reduce fossil fuel dependence amid rising fuel costs, with electric trucks already capturing over 50% of heavy truck sales in China, signaling a strategic shift toward electrification in transportation.