Firms are teaming up to develop a hybrid passenger plane that would use a single electric turbofan as part of a push towards cleaner aviation.
Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce are planning to fly a hybrid-electric airliner by the year 2020, with a commercial application by 2025.
The three European companies aim to put an electric engine with three jet engines on a BAe 146 aircraft.
“We see hydro-electric propulsion as a compelling technology for the future of aviation,” Airbus Chief Technology Officer Paul Eremenko said in a statement.
Airbus will be responsible for the control architecture of the hybrid-electric propulsion system and batteries, and its integration with flight controls.
The turbo shaft engine and 2 megawatt generator will be the responsibility of Rolls-Royce, while Siemens will deliver the 2 MW electric motor.
In October, a Seattle startup, backed by Boeing and JetBlue Airways, announced plans to bring a small hybrid-electric commuter aircraft to market by 2022.
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