April - 26 - 2024: Voltaero has initiated certification tests for its hybrid-electric Cassio 330 aircraft, marking a significant development in hybrid aviation. The aircraft features a powertrain combining a Safran electric motor and a Kawasaki thermal engine, offering a total power output of 330kW. This system utilizes the internal combustion engine as a range extender and a backup in case of electric propulsion issues.
eVTOL
April 29, 2024: EHang Holdings, a prominent player in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology, has formed a strategic alliance with Guangzhou Greater Bay Technology, specialists in ultra-fast charging, as revealed at the 16th Chongqing International Battery Technology Exchange Conference/Exhibition. This collaboration aims to pioneer the development of Ultra-Fast Charging (UFC) and eXtreme Fast Charging (XFC) battery solutions specifically tailored for EHang's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Additionally, this partnership will drive the advancement and industrialization of key power system components and modules for eVTOLs within the UAM sector, thereby establishing a foundational ecosystem for the commercial viability of the low-altitude economy.
Guangzhou, China, April 7, 2024 -- EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH), a leader in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform sector, today declared it has secured the Production Certificate (PC) for its EH216-S, a pilotless electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This certificate, issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), is the first of its kind in the eVTOL global industry. This follows EHang's earlier achievements of receiving both the Type Certificate (TC) and the Standard Airworthiness Certificate (AC), marking another step towards mass production and commercial operations of the eVTOL aircraft.
ELECTRON Aerospace, an electric aircraft developer based in the Netherlands, has signed up two new customers for its future battery-powered aircraft.
Air2E and Hopscotch Air, two air taxi operators based, respectively, in Berlin, Germany, and Farmingdale, New York, have placed orders for the Electron 5 aircraft. The aircraft is still under development and not expected to enter service until nearer 2028. With these two deals, the exact breakdown of which hasn’t yet been made public, ELECTRON Aerospace has already accumulated orders worth almost €200 million. This includes previous orders placed by Australian electric aircraft operator FlyOnE and Mint Air, a Korean startup.