A heating device for heating a gas stream is proposed, the heating device comprising two electric connection elements (43, 44) for being connected to a power source and at least one heating plate unit (39A, 39B, 39C, 39D, 39E) having an inlet side and an outlet side, which comprises a plurality of heating plate strips (45, 46) which are in the gas stream and each have a first end area and a second end area, adjacent heating plate strips (45, 46) being connected to each other in the first end areas and the second end areas each via a conductive spacer structure (47).