https://aviationweek.com/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/awn-logo.svg
Skip to main content
  • Market Sector
    • Aerospace
    • Air Transport
    • MRO
    • Defense and Space
    • Business Aviation
  • Markets
    • Aerospace
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Connected Aerospace
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Manufacturing & Supply Chain
      • Advanced Air Mobility
      • Commercial Space
      • Sustainability
    • Air Transport
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports & Networks
      • Airlines & Lessors
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
    • MRO
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Supply Chain
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Workforce & Training
      • Sustainability
    • Defense and Space
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Sensors & Electronic Warfare
      • Missile Defense & Weapons
      • Supply Chain
      • Budget, Policy & Operations
      • Space
      • Sustainability
    • Business Aviation
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports, FBOs & Suppliers
      • Flight Deck
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
  • Marketplace
  • Services
    • Services
      • Advertising
      • Marketing Services
      • Fleet, Data & APIs
      • Research & Consulting
      • Network and Route Planning
      • Marketplace
  • Store
    • Market Sector

      • Aerospace
      • Air Transport
      • MRO
      • Defense and Space
      • Business Aviation
    • Type View All Products
      • Intelligence Bundles
        • AWIN - Premium
        • AWIN - Aerospace and Defense
        • AWIN - Business Aviation
        • AWIN - Commercial Aviation
      • Market Briefings
        • Advanced Air Mobility Report - NEW!
        • Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
        • Aviation Daily
        • SpeedNews
        • The Weekly of Business Aviation
      • Directories
        • Air Charter Guide
        • Aviation Week Marketplace
        • Route Exchange
        • The Engine Yearbook
      • Data Services
        • AC-U-KWIK
        • Aircraft Bluebook
        • Airportdata.com
        • Airport Strategy and Marketing (ASM)
        • CAPA – Centre for Aviation
        • Fleet Discovery Civil
        • Fleet Discovery Military
        • Fleet & MRO Forecast
        • MRO Prospector
      • Publications
        • Air Transport World
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology - Inside MRO
        • Business & Commercial Aviation
        • CAPA - Airline Leader
        • Routes magazine
        • ShowNews
      • Resources
        • Downloadable Reports
  • Events
    • Recent webinars
    • Events View All Events
      • MRO
        • MRO Americas
        • MRO Asia
        • MRO Australasia
        • MRO Baltics & Eastern Europe Region
        • MRO Europe
        • MRO Latin America
        • MRO Middle East
        • Military Aviation Logistics and Maintenance Symposium (MALMS)
        • Asia Aerospace Leadership Forum & MRO Asia-Pacific Awards
      • Commercial Aviation/A&D
        • A&D Mergers and Acquisitions
        • A&D Programs
        • A&D Manufacturing
        • A&D Raw Materials
        • A&D SupplyChain
        • A&D SupplyChain Europe
        • Advanced Air Mobility
        • Aero-Engines Americas
        • Aero-Engines Europe
        • Aero-Engines Asia-Pacific
        • Aerospace IT
        • Engine Leasing Trading & Finance Europe
        • Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance Americas
      • Air Transport
        • CAPA Live
        • Routes Americas
        • Routes Europe
        • Routes World
        • ATW Airline Awards
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit
        • CAPA Americas Aviation & LCCs Summit
        • CAPA Latin America Aviation & LCCs Summit
        • CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit
        • CTC Asia Corporate Travel Summit & Sustainability Expo
        • CAPA World Aviation Outlook Summit
        • GAD Americas
        • GAD World
      • Aerospace and Defense
        • A&D Mergers and Acquisitions Conference (ADMA)
        • A&D Manufacturing Conference
        • Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference (RMC)
        • A&D Programs
      • Awards
        • Aviation Week 20 Twenties
        • Aviation Week Laureate Awards
        • Program Excellence Awards and Banquet
        • CAPA Asia Aviation Summit & Awards for Excellence
  • About
    • About Aviation Week Network
      • Our Story
      • Content and Data Team
      • Aviation Week & Space Technology 100-Year
    • Contact Us
      • Subscriber Services
      • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
      • Content Sales
      • Events
      • PR & Communications
      • Content Licensing and Reprints
      • FAQ
  • Log In
  • Register
  • My Account
    • Profile
    • Sign Out
  • AWIN Access
  • My cart
    Back to
  1. Business Aviation
  2. Aircraft & Propulsion

Share

General Aviation’s Electric Revolution

Graham Warwick May 10, 2021
Airflow demonstrator

Airflow

Credit: Airflow concept

U.S. startup Airflow is developing an electric short-takeoff-and-landing cargo aircraft for the express logistics market, aiming to begin production in 2025. The first step is to modify a high-wing Cessna 210 with distributed electric propulsion to demonstrate operation into and out of very short runways.

Ampaire Eco Otter SX

Ampaire Eco Otter SX

Credit: Ampaire

Hybrid-electric propulsion startup Ampaire is developing the Eco Otter SX, a conversion of the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. As a first step, the company is flight-testing the Electric EEL, a Cessna 337 Skymaster modified into a hybrid-electric propulsion demonstrator.

APUS i-2

APUS i-2

Credit: APUS Group concept

German aviation engineering company APUS Group is developing the i-2, a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered four-seater. First flight is planned for 2023. The aircraft will have two fuel cells in the nose, driving two wing-mounted electric motors boosted by high-voltage batteries also housed in the nacelles. Pressurized gaseous hydrogen will be stored in tubes integrated into the wing.

Aura Aero Integral E

Aura Aero Integral E

Credit: Aura Aero concept

French startup Aura Aero is developing the Integral E, an electric-powered version of its Integral R two-seat aerobatic aircraft. First flight is planned for 2022. The Toulouse-based manufacturer is also planning to develop the 19-seat Electric Regional aircraft, aiming for service entry in 2026.

Bye Aerospace eFlyer 800

Bye Aerospace eFlyer 800

Credit: Bye Aerospace concept

Bye Aerospace has launched development of the eFlyer 800, a seven-seat all-electric competitor for the Beechcraft King Air 260. Deliveries of the 320-kt, 500-nm aircraft are planned to begin by 2026. Bye is already developing the eFlyer 2 two-seat electric trainer and planning the eFlyer 4 four-seat tourer.

Diamond DA40-EP

Diamond Aircraft Industries DA40-EP

Credit: Diamond Aircraft Industries

Austria-based Diamond Aircraft Industries is developing a training system based around an electric-powered version of its DA40 four-seater, the DA40-EP. Available with fast-charge or swappable batteries, the aircraft will have an endurance of 1.5 hr. and is intended for pattern training.

Electra eSTOL demonstrator

Electra.Aero

Credit: Electra.Aero concept

Startup Electra is developing electric short-takeoff-and-landing (eSTOL) aircraft for regional air mobility. The company plans to fly a 3,000-lb, Cessna 172-size demonstrator in 2021 to show the ability to take off and land in around 100 ft. by using distributed electric propulsion for powered lift.

Faradair BEHA

Faradair Aerospace

Credit: Faradair Aerospace concept

UK startup Faradair is developing the Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft (BEHA), convertible between 18 passengers, three LD3 cargo containers or 5 metric tons of freight. First flight is planned for 2024. The company has partnered with Honeywell for the turbogenerator and MagniX for the twin electric motors.

Flight Design F2E

Flight Design F2E

Credit: Flight Design

Germany’s Flight Design aiming for European Union Aviation Safety Agency CS-23 certification of its F2E two-seat electric trainer in 2022. First flown in June 2019, the aircraft will have a 2-hr. flight endurance, plus reserves. A four-seat version is planned.

H55 Bristell Energic

H55/BRM Aero Bristell Electric

Credit: H55/Anna Pizzolante

Led by Solar Impulse cofounder Andre Borschberg, Swiss startup H55 is developing electric propulsion systems for general aviation aircraft. Its first application, now in flight test, is the Bristell Energic two-seat trainer from Czech light aircraft manufacturer BRM Aero. Certification is planned for 2022.

Harbour Air/MagniX/H55 eBeaver

Harbour Air/MagniX/H55 eBeaver

Credit: Harbour Air Seaplanes

British Columbia seaplane operator Harbour Air has partnered with MagniX and H55 to obtain supplemental type certification of an electric propulsion retrofit for the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver. The eBeaver first flew in December 2019 and certification is planned for 2022.

Heart Aerospace ES-19

Heart Aerospace

Credit: Heart Aerospace concept

Swedish startup Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-19, an all-electric 19-seat regional aircraft. With battery packs and electric motors housed in four underwing pods and a target range of 400 km (250 mi.), the ES-19 is planned for service entry in 2026.

MagniX, Sydney Seaplanes, Dante Aeronautical eCaravan

MagniX/Sydney Seaplanes eCaravan

Credit: MagniX

Electric propulsion developer MagniX is working with Sydney Seaplanes and Italian-Australian startup Dante Aeronautical to obtain supplemental type certification of the eCaravan, an electric retrofit for the Cessna 208 Caravan. A prototype of the eCaravan first flew in May 2020.

Mauboussin Alcyon M3c

Avions Mauboussin

Credit: Avions Mauboussin concept

A startup named after a French aviation pioneer, Mauboussin is developing the Alerion M1h hybrid-electric light aircraft as a step toward a hydrogen-fueled six-seat regional aircraft, the Alcyon M3c. First flight of the tandem two-seat Alerion is planned for 2022.

Pipistrel Velis Electro

Pipistrel Velis Electro

Credit: Pipistrel

Slovenian pioneer Pipistrel achieved the first type certification of an electric aircraft, the Velis Electro two-seat trainer, in June 2020. The company is developing a range of electric passenger and cargo aircraft and hopes to develop a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered 19-seater, the Miniliner, by 2028.

VoltAero Cassio 1

VoltAero Cassio

Credit: VoltAero concept

Led by former Airbus CTO Jean Botti, French startup VoltAero is developing the Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft, with four to 10 seats. The company is flying the Cassio 1 propulsion testbed, a modified Cessna 337 Skymaster. Deliveries of the initial four-seat Cassio 330 are planned to begin in 2023.

Previous
Next

The list keeps getting longer as more and more electric-powered aircraft development programs target the general aviation market. Ranging from two-seat trainers to 19-seat regional aircraft, here is a look at some of those programs.

Graham Warwick

Graham leads Aviation Week's coverage of technology, focusing on engineering and technology across the aerospace industry, with a special focus on identifying technologies of strategic importance to aviation, aerospace and defense.

Comments

1 Comment
hxy7950
Thu, 05/13/2021 - 00:17
thanks
Aviation Week Intelligence Network
Monitor the market and connect your business to the people, programs and proprietary data driving the Business Aviation market - only available with AWIN.

BAV_AWIN_270_thumb

Stay Connected.
Stay Informed
Grow Your Business.

Learn How

Follow us on

Markets

  • Aerospace
  • Air Transport
  • MRO
  • Defense and Space
  • Business Aviation

Products

  • AWIN Intelligence Bundles
  • Market Briefings
  • Publications
  • Data Services
  • Directories
  • Resources

Contact Us

  • Subscriber Services
  • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
  • Content Sales
  • Events
  • PR & Communications
  • Content Licensing and Reprints
  • FAQ

Other Resources

  • Aviation Week Marketplace
  • Knowledge Center
  • Newsletters
  • ShowNews
  • Advertising - Media Kits
Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC.
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use