After 3 years, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens will conduct the first flight tests of the hybrid E-Fan X. The design will be based on the BAE 146 passenger plane.
After the first tests, another gas turbine engine will be replaced, and batteries for take-off and climb are activated. The design of the gas turbine engine, generator and electronic components will be handled by Rolls-Royce.
According to the technical director of Rolls-Royce Paul Stein, the companies decided to create a hybrid motor, because the technology does not yet allow to build a fully electric passenger aircraft. But as the technology develops, the situation will change, Stein is sure.
The second market, which will benefit from the transition to electric traction, is regional airplanes for 10-100 passengers. It's exactly such a plane the company plans to release by the 2030s. "Our task is an aircraft with a fixed wing and a hybrid installation, designed for regional flights," Stein noted.
Other experts agree with Farm. Even if the energy density of the batteries increases five-fold and amounts to 1000 watts * per kilogram, this will suffice only for the operation of a miniature aircraft. And such an indicator will not be reached until 2045.
This is future
Would be absolutely nice if this becomes true!