E-Fan 1.0 Airbus Group will build the Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the E-Fan 2.0 all-electric aircraft in Pau, southwest France.
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| E-Fan 1.0 |
Airbus Group will build the Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the E-Fan 2.0 all-electric aircraft in Pau, southwest France.
Airbus will bring the prototype two-seat electric aircraft into serial production with the E-Fan 2.0 version dedicated to basic pilot training.
The E-Fan project started in 2012 with an intensive development phase of more than 12 months. The demonstrator aircraft was first presented at the Paris Air Show in 2013. Since its first flight on 11 March 2014, the E-Fan has performed more than 78 test flights with more than 38 flight hours in total.
Voltair SAS, created in 2014 and owned 100 percent by Airbus Group, will manage the E-Fan development, production and delivery in the Pau area.
Voltair will also be in charge of selling and providing services like maintenance for the E-Fan aircraft. Airbus Group will invest € 20 million in the overall design and development of the E-Fan 2.0 aircraft, in addition to contributions from Airbus Group’s partners.
The consortium is supported by La Nouvelle France Industrielle. The Aquitaine region is also supporting the project through a regional subsidy and the FEDER (Le Fonds Européen de Développement Regional) investment for a total of € 2.25 million. Pau, which is already a regional centre for the aeronautics industry in France, was chosen as it is located close to design partner Daher and offers direct access to the runway, a medium size airport and good meteorological conditions.
The purchase of the site from the current owner is due to be signed by mid-year 2015 with construction works for the FAL scheduled to start in the middle of 2016.
The targeted goal for entry-into-service of the first E-Fan 2.0 is around the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018. E-Fan 2.0 is a key project in the industrial plans launched by the French government in 2013.
The E-Fan 2.0 version will be followed by the E-Fan 4.0, a four-seat airplane for full pilot licensing and the general aviation market.
The pioneering E-Fan 2.0 is planned for its first flight in late 2017. It will be CO2 emissions-free and nearly silent in flight, becoming the world’s first all-electric plane certified to international civil airworthiness standards. Introduction of the larger E-Fan 4.0 will follow in 2019.
The E-fan has an all-composite construction and is propelled by two ducted, variable-pitch fans spun by two electric motors of 30 kW each.
The onboard batteries supplied by South Korean Kokam have enough power for one hour and take one hour to recharge. An onboard backup battery is available to make an emergency landing if power runs out while airborne. The aircraft's Max takeoff weight is 550 kg (1,213 lb).
