China's electric passenger plane aces first manned flight

China's new electric passenger plane has taken to the skies with flying colors, completing its first manned flight.

The 10-tonne aircraft flew over Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, on Saturday. Two pilots and a flight test engineer took it for a spin.

The test lasted just under an hour, with 16 minutes and 38 seconds in the air and covering 60.4 kilometers.

The development team said it all went smoothly, with all performance indicators meeting expectations.

The test follows the plane's first unmanned intelligent flight on February 2.

Developed by COMAC – the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China – the CE-25A is the company's first electric commercial aircraft. Designed primarily for short inter-city hops, it can ferry up to 19 passengers at a cruising speed of 300 kilometers per hour, with a cruising altitude of 2,400 meters and a range of 400 kilometers.

The "C" in its name stands for both China and COMAC, the "E" for electric propulsion (powered by a ducted-fan mounted above the wings), and the "25" indicates compliance with China's rigorous Part 25 airworthiness standards. The "A" denotes the first plane in the series.

The aircraft is a joint effort between COMAC, the world's top battery maker CATL, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and other partners.

With 19 unmanned test flights already completed, regulators have accepted its application for a type certificate – a major step toward getting the plane cleared for commercial service.

The successful flight marks a significant leap forward in China's push for electric aviation.