EcoPulse, the hybrid-electric distributed propulsion aircraft demonstrator from Daher, Safran and Airbus, has made its public debut at Paris Air Show. The EcoPulse is set to perform its first flight with hydrogen-electric propulsion later this year.
EcoPulse has been developed to evaluate the potential of hybrid-electric distributed propulsion, which enables a single independent electrical power source to provide power to several engines throughout the aircraft. The demonstrator will evaluate the overall energy efficiency of the onboard system, which includes high-voltage electrical propulsion with battery and turbogenerator, as well as control laws involved.
“After the endurance ground test campaign for the e-Propellers, the first hybrid-electric flight with the six e-Propellers activated will be an important milestone for our technology roadmap as Safran’s objective is to position itself as the leader in future hybrid and all-electric aircraft systems,” said Eric Dalbiès, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Chief Technology Officer at Safran.
“With EcoPulse, we learned a lot from developing the high-power battery pack entirely, from the monitoring system to the thermal runaway and short-circuit tests,” added Sabine Klauke, Chief Technical Officer of Airbus. “Some of these key learnings are already applied in several of our demonstrators with the common ambition to continue to progress on our electrification roadmap.”
The EcoPulse is based on the Daher TBM aircraft platform and is equipped with six integrated electric thrusters or e-propellers supplied by Safran, which are distributed along the wings. The turbogenerator and a battery pack are integrated as the two power sources for the propulsion system, as well as a Power Distribution and Rectifier Unit that protects the high-voltage network and distributes available electric power as well as the high-voltage power harnesses.
“The demonstrator has so far amassed around 27 hours of flight time with the electric propellers feathered,” said Pascal Laguerre, Chief Technology Officer, Daher. “Flight tests of the hybrid-electric powertrain are due to begin later this summer. From this demonstration programme, we plan to develop our future product roadmap and spec the hybrid aircraft we intend to produce by the end of our five-year plan.”
The first hybrid aircraft is expected to enter the market by the end of 2027.
Image: EcoPulse makes its public debut at Paris Air Show
