An all-electric commercial passenger plane developed in China completed its first test flight with a crew on board on Saturday, November 14, in the city of Binzhou in eastern China's Shandong province. Two pilots and a flight test engineer were aboard the aircraft, the CE-25A, which is designed for short intercity routes.
China Tests Electric Airliner
China's Electric Airliner Flies With Crew
The CE-25A, built for short intercity routes, flew with two pilots and a flight test engineer on board in Shandong province, though it still lacks approval to carry paying passengers.
According to COMAC, the aircraft performed as expected and every performance indicator tested met its targets.
The CE-25A can carry up to 19 passengers, cruise at 300 kilometers per hour and fly up to 400 kilometers on a single charge. Its maximum takeoff weight is 10 tonnes, and it is intended mainly for short regional routes linking cities.
Saturday's flight was not the plane's first time in the air. The model completed an autonomous, uncrewed flight in February 2026 and has since carried out 19 uncrewed test flights. Flying with pilots and an engineer aboard marks a further step toward commercial operation.
One of the aircraft's most distinctive features is its propulsion system, which relies on electric fans mounted inside ducts above the wings. In this distributed propulsion design, several electric units work together to generate the thrust needed for flight, replacing conventional jet or combustion engines.
The project was developed jointly by Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC, battery maker CATL and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has accepted the application for a type certificate for the aircraft. The plane needs this approval before it can enter commercial service.
The CE-25A has not yet received final approval to carry paying passengers. No date has been announced for its entry into service, and future ticket prices have not been set.
The plane's main promise lies in short-haul flying. Instead of operating large, fuel-hungry aircraft on regional routes, airlines may one day be able to use smaller electric aircraft. If the technology proves itself and meets safety and regulatory requirements, it could reduce reliance on jet fuel and cut emissions and operating costs. Turning a test flight into a regular commercial service will still require further testing and approvals.
China's CE-25A all-electric passenger plane| צילום: Photo: Social media / manufacturer
