Heart Aerospace Rolls Out 4 Engine 30 Seat Electric Airliner

[MIflyer]

From Avweb:

"Swedish startup Heart Aerospace has rolled out the full-scale demonstrator of its future 30-seat hybrid electric airliner. The prototype of the ES-30 looks like a cross between a De Havilland Dash-7 and an ATR 42. It has a glider-like 100-foot wingspan and has four wing-mounted electric motors. "It is a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of our team that we're able to roll out a 30-seat aircraft demonstrator with a brand-new propulsion system, largely inhouse, in less than two years, " said CEO Anders Forslund."

 

[SaparotRob]

It is pretty.

 

[Snautzer01]

Doesnt look half bad.

 

[Sabrejet]

A very elegant-looking machine. Let's hope it has a bright future.

 

[MIflyer]

The fact that it is "hybrid" indicates it uses a mixture of electric and combustion engine technology. This would indicate that the highest power available would be used for takeoff/climb and a lower level of power used for cruise. This might be achieved as in a hybrid electric locomotive, with an engine charging batteries when required and actual motive power provided by electric motors, but that would seem to be unlikely; locomotives have few weight restrictions and the hybrid versions actually weigh more than the more conventional locomotives. Another alternative would be for electric power to be used to augment the turbine engines for takeoff and climb by coupling an electric motor to the crankshaft such as was was done with exhaust gas driven power recovery turbines on the Super Constellation.

 

[pbehn]

That cable plugged in is just to invite jokes about its range.

 

[MIflyer]

That cable plugged in is just to invite jokes about its range.

Oh, I'm sure they take the cart inside before they take off.

 

[ThomasP]

The propulsion system is listed as an Independent Hybrid system. Unless they are using the term differently than the rest of the propulsion industry, this means that they have 2 separate drive systems - 1 being the turboprop engine(s) and 1 being the electric motor(s) via batteries - without interconnection. In other words, there is no drive linkage from the turboprop to the electric motors via generator and batteries, so no charging is possible in flight. I do no know why they would choose this system unless there is some sort of safety/reliability concern, or maybe to avoid licensing fees to Toyota, Nissan, or Honda?

 

[MIflyer]

2 separate drive systems - 1 being the turboprop engine(s) and 1 being the electric motor(s) via batteries

I can only assume than that two of those props are turbines and two are electric. And maybe during descent they windmill the electric props and recharge that way?

They call it a "Reserve Hybrid (TM)" whatever that is. It has "zero CO2 emissions on short routes." 200 km is the all-elecrtic range with 30 passengers and 800 km is the hybrid range with 25 passengers, with a 30 min recharge time. So that would indicate its propulsion is all electric and they start an on-board generator if they need longer range, and offload passengers to attain that. 5 passengers would be about 1000 lb, so that would easily cover a generator and the fuel required. I still am surprised that Tesla does not offer a 5 hp engine with 5 gal fuel as a ranger extender option.