Electra Successfully Tests Hybrid Engine | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.12.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.13.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.14.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-05.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.16.25

Sun, Sep 11, 2022

Electra Successfully Tests Hybrid Engine

Hydrogen and Battery Powerplant to Power Blown Lift eSTOL

Founded in 2020 with a mission to decarbonize aviation and bring air transportation to every part of the great, wide world, Electra.aero, Inc.’s team of former MIT, Boeing, Airbus, Pilatus, and Hondajet engineers has successfully completed a fully-integrated test of its proprietary hybrid-electric propulsion system. The hydrogen and battery-electric power-plant is destined for use in Electra’s electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

Electra's hybrid system comprises a combination of high-power battery packs and a turbogenerator which powers eight electric motors and their respective propellers. Testing of the system took place at the company’s propulsion development facility in Switzerland.

Presently, Electra’s hybrid propulsion system is being integrated into a piloted technology demonstrator aircraft with which the company plans to demonstrate and chart the vehicle’s ultra-short take-off and landing performance and fuel burn. The engine’s constituent technologies were developed for Electra’s 9-passenger eSTOL, and will ultimately be scaled to larger aircraft.

Hybrid-electric propulsion is Electra’s first step along a carefully planned path to zero-emissions air mobility. The constraints of contemporary battery technology preclude practical application of all-electric power-plants in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles. Ergo, hybrid-electric propulsion remains the sole sustainable architecture capable of meeting the range and endurance requirements of emergent regional air mobility markets.

The design of Electra’s eSTOL aircraft incorporates a degree of flexibility commensurate with the ready adaptation of its hydrogen and battery electric propulsion to advancements in power generation and storage. To support its long-range goals, Electra is exploring green hydrogen with its partner Plug Power, an American company engaged in the development of hydrogen fuel-cell systems that replace conventional batteries in equipment and vehicles powered by electricity.

Electra vice president and general manager J.P. Stewart states: "Tightly coupling airframe and propulsion systems is the hallmark of Electra’s unique and scalable approach to providing net-zero emissions for regional and transport-category aircraft by 2050. Electra’s eSTOL aircraft uses this patent-pending technology for the urban and regional aircraft market, allowing a reduction of the five-billion tons of CO2 created by inefficient ground transport in personal cars every year."  

Electra's team includes some of the most respected and successful entrepreneurs and engineers in the novel aircraft design business; the company’s development of aerospace technologies is supported by the joint NASA—U.S. Air Force Agility Prime program.

FMI: www.electra.aero

Advertisement

More News

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.13.25): Cleared For The Option

Cleared For The Option ATC authorization for an aircraft to make a touch-and-go, low approach, missed approach, stop and go, or full stop landing at the discretion of the pilot. It>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.13.25)

“...no entity, whether a division of government or a private company or corporation, may use information broadcast or collected by automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.14.25)

“While our traditional mechanical magnetos will be around for a long time, Hartzell Engine Tech acquired E-MAG to expand its PowerUP Ignition System product portfolio into bo>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.14.25): Flight Check

Flight Check A call-sign prefix used by FAA aircraft engaged in flight inspection/certification of navigational aids and flight procedures. The word “recorded” may be a>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC