The claim that the X1 electric aircraft consumed only $5 in energy for its flight was questioned following its first test flight conducted in upstate New York.
What the news stated:
The X1 model, developed by Heart Aerospace, completed its inaugural test flight over New York territory. This aircraft has the capacity to carry up to 30 passengers and represents the largest electric aircraft ever manufactured. During the journey, which lasted 27 minutes, the company claimed that the electricity cost was a mere $5.
What is the truth:
In the United States context, the average cost per kilowatt-hour of electricity for commercial consumers is $0.14. Based on this value, the $5 mentioned by Heart Aerospace corresponds to an approximate consumption of 35 kilowatt-hours.
In mechanical terms, this amount of energy equates to only 47.5 continuous horsepower, which is half the power generated by the engine of a common car. This data seems insufficient for a large aircraft like the X1, which measures 32 meters in length and has a total weight of 11 tons.