Shandong, China, Nov. 15 – On November 14, 2026, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) completed the first crewed flight of its CE-25A electric aircraft in Binzhou, Shandong Province. The 19-seat commercial electric plane, China’s first of its kind, carried two pilots and one flight-test engineer during an electric aviation milestone.
“This milestone flight demonstrates the viability of distributed electric propulsion for commercial regional aircraft and brings us closer to practical zero-emission air travel,” said a COMAC representative.
Designed for short-haul intercity routes, the COMAC CE-25A features a maximum takeoff weight of 10 tonnes and a distributed electric ducted fan propulsion system with ten units on the wings. The aircraft stayed airborne for 16 minutes and 38 seconds, covering 60.4 kilometers, with a cruise speed of 300 kilometers per hour, an altitude of 2,400 meters, and a range of 400 kilometers for zero-emission regional travel.
China UNVEILS 10-TON ALL-ELECTRIC PASSENGER PLANE that can fly AUTONOMOUSLY or with PILOT CE-25A with ELECTRIC PROPELLERS carries 19 PASSENGERS, cruises at 300 KM/H, flies 400 KM COMPLETES FIRST PILOTED FLIGHT after 19 UNMANNED test flights https://t.co/YVSCeYw8hf
— RT (@RT_com) November 14, 2026
This crewed test followed the CE-25A’s first unmanned autonomous flight on February 2, 2026, and 19 verification flights. Jointly developed by COMAC with CATL, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and other partners, the electric aircraft incorporates advanced battery technology to support sustainable aviation goals.
The successful flight advances China’s electric aviation capabilities, with the Civil Aviation Administration of China having accepted the type certificate application under CCAR-25 standards. The COMAC CE-25A positions the nation as a leader in commercial electric planes, enabling greener intercity connectivity through electric propulsion.