French airplane maker VoltAero has begun flight testing on a hybrid-electric-powered airplane series called Cassio. The Cassio 1 testbed is powered by two electric motors, mounted on the wings, and two piston engines—a pusher and a puller—on the fuselage. The testbed looks like a Cessna 337 Skymaster and has a seating configuration for six people. VoltAero plans to produce a Cassio product line ranging from four to nine seats.
VoltAero Flight Tests Hybrid-Electric Cassio
Key Takeaways:
- VoltAero has begun flight testing its hybrid-electric Cassio airplane series, which will eventually include models ranging from four to nine seats.
- The current Cassio 1 testbed utilizes wing-mounted electric motors by Safran and temporary piston engines, with future plans to integrate a proprietary hybrid-electric power module for both propulsion and battery recharging.
- Production versions of the Cassio are expected to offer significant performance, including speeds over 200 knots and endurance of 3.5 to 5 hours, with an ambitious delivery target of 2021-2022.
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