Heart Aerospace, a developer of hybrid-electric aircraft based in Gothenburg, has announced it will relocate its main office to Los Angeles and terminate operations in Sweden. The move will result in 75 job losses, the company confirmed.

This follows an earlier round of layoffs in February of the previous year, when Heart Aerospace eliminated 72 positions following a substantial redesign of the ES-30 aircraft, according to Flight Global.

The relocation is intended to accelerate development work in the United States ahead of test flights for the Heart X1 and the forthcoming Heart X2 prototypes.

Our move to Los Angeles marks a new chapter in Heart Aerospace's journey—one that prioritises iterative development and deeper vertical integration

Aysnders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace

For the X2 programme, the company plans to develop batteries, actuation systems, software, and hybrid-electric components internally. Forslund noted that this strategy mirrors the approach taken with the X1 prototype, which has undergone extensive testing and significant design revisions since its introduction in 2024.

Heart X1 test flight programme

Heart Aerospace intends to perform its first fully electric experimental flight of the Heart Experimental 1 (Heart X1) demonstrator at Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York during 2025.

The initial experimental flight will represent the largest fully electric aircraft to take to the air. The aircraft offers an all-electric, emissions-free operational range of 200 kilometres, with a hybrid mode extending range to 400 kilometres.

The selection of Plattsburgh International Airport reflects its position in the Champlain Valley, which is emerging as a centre for advanced transportation technologies.

Recent funding and investor backing

Heart Aerospace secured $107 million (roughly €94 million) through a Series B funding round in 2024, followed by a further $40 million (approximately €35 million) investment.

The company's investor base includes Air Canada, Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the European Innovation Council Fund, EQT Ventures, Lower Carbon Capital, Norrsken VC, United Airlines, and Y Combinator.

We are deeply grateful to our team in Sweden for being part of this chapter of Heart's journey, and for all the support we have received in Sweden. However, as our customers, partners, and investors are increasingly based in the U.S, we see greater opportunity in focusing our resources here. By consolidating our operations in Los Angeles, we can accelerate development, strengthen collaboration, and better position Heart Aerospace for the future

Anders Forslund

Source: Silicon Canals