VoltAero Cassio: Will a hybrid plane take to the skies soon?
This page is translated from the original post "VoltAero Cassio : un avion hybride bientôt dans les airs ?" in French.
- 05/11/2022 14:00
The French start-up VoltAero is well on its way to producing its hybrid aircraft Cassio 330 powered by Safran in the near future, thanks to European funding.
Present at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo, the French company VoltAero based in Médis (Charente-Maritime) has just raised an additional €32 million through funding from the Italian firm Tesi.
Fresh funding designated by VoltAero to finance the start of production of its hybrid aircraft Cassio 330. “The decision by Tesi to become both a strategic investor and an industrial partner is a clear sign of the credibility of VoltAero’s technology and business model, as we move closer to reality for the Cassio family of aircraft with this Series B funding round,” said Jean Botti, CEO and CTO of VoltAero.
Promising Performance
The VoltAero Cassio 330 is powered by a technology supplied by Safran’s Electrical & Power division, with a combined maximum power of 450 hp. It consists of an internal combustion engine capable of reaching up to 165 kW (225 hp) and an electric motor of 180 kW (245 hp). This technology, called ENGINeUSTM 100, includes electronic control within the aircraft, and its thermal management is ensured by an optimized air cooling system. The top speed is estimated at 360 km/h.
During electric flight phases, a 41.5 kW battery does the job, allowing an electric range of 200 km, and a total range (thermal + electric) of 1,200 km.
A Diverse Range
If the goals are achieved, VoltAero plans to produce its Cassio aircraft in three versions: the Cassio 330 with a four to five-seat configuration and its 450 hp hybrid-electric propulsion system, the Cassio 480 with six seats, featuring a combined hybrid-electric propulsion power of 645 hp, and the Cassio 600, which will accommodate 10 to 12 people, with a hybrid-electric propulsion of 805 hp.
After a first inaugural flight in 2020 with older technology, the VoltAero Cassio 330 is expected to fly again in 2023 with a pilot and four passengers, before starting the certification process and serial production. VoltAero plans to produce approximately 150 aircraft per year.
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