China's independently developed 10-tonne electric aircraft completes first piloted flight

This photo taken on Nov. 14, 2026 shows the 10-tonne electric commercial aircraft CE-25A during its maiden piloted flight in Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province. China's independently developed 10-tonne electric commercial aircraft CE-25A completed its maiden piloted flight on Saturday, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). The aircraft carried two pilots and one flight-test engineer during the flight in Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Wang Jiliang/Xinhua)

China's independently developed 10-tonne electric commercial aircraft CE-25A completed its maiden piloted flight on Saturday, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC).

The aircraft carried two pilots and one flight-test engineer during the flight in Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province. The aircraft operated normally, and all performance indicators met expectations, COMAC said.

The CE-25A is COMAC's first electric commercial aircraft. Designed mainly for intercity commercial flights, it can carry 19 passengers and has a maximum takeoff weight of 10 tonnes. It has a cruising speed of 300 km per hour, a cruising altitude of 2,400 meters and a range of 400 km.

The aircraft completed its first unmanned autonomous flight on Feb. 2 this year.

Developed jointly by COMAC, Chinese battery maker CATL, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and other partners, the CE-25A has completed 19 unmanned autonomous flight validations.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China has accepted COMAC's application for a type certificate.