Three major European firms, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens, are partnering to build a hybrid electric test plane called the E-Fan X, with the goal of conducting a trial flight in 2020. They plan to modify a 100-seat regional jet with two electric motors that could replace two fuel-driven engines if the tests are successful. The project aims to lay the groundwork for commercial flights partially or fully powered by electricity as early as 2025. Each company will oversee a different aspect of producing the plane.

1. 3/23/2018 Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce are building a hybrid electric plane - Nov. 28, 2017
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/28/technology/electric-plane-siemens-airbus-rolls-royce/index.html 1/3
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Future of Aviation
Electric planes: European firms target tes
flight in 2020
European manufacturers are teaming up to build a hybrid electric test plane.
Airbus ( ), Rolls-Royce ( ) and Siemens ( ) said Tuesday that they want to trial a
modified commercial aircraft partially powered by electricity in 2020.
They said the project — called E-Fan X — will be based on a modified 100-seat BAe146 regional
aircraft.
The trio believe it could lay the groundwork for commercial flights with the same electric
technology as early as 2025.
The companies will start by using a two megawatt electric motor as one of the aircraft's four
engines. If tests are successful, a second fuel-driven engine could be swapped out for an electric
motor.
"The E-Fan X is an important next step in our goal of making electric flight a reality in the
foreseeable future," said Paul Eremenko, Airbus' Chief Technology O cer.
Each company will oversee a di erent aspect of production.
Airbus is responsible for integrating the engines with flight controls. Rolls-Royce will develop the
turbo-shaft engine, two megawatt generator and power electronics. Siemens will deliver the
power distribution network.
Related: Your airliner may be flying electric within a decade
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The challenges of creating hybrid electric planes
by Ivana Kottasová @ivanakottasova
November 28, 2017: 2:15 PM ET   Recommend 1.8K
B U S I N E S S C U LT U R E G A D G E T S F U T U R E S T A R T U P S  

2. 3/23/2018 Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce are building a hybrid electric plane - Nov. 28, 2017
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/28/technology/electric-plane-siemens-airbus-rolls-royce/index.html 2/3
The three European firms are not the only ones betting on aviation's electric future.
EasyJet ( ), a major European carrier, announced in September that it is working with U.S.
startup Wright Electric to build an all-electric airliner.
Boeing ( ) and BlueJet have partnered up with a Seattle-based startup Zunum to develop a
commuter electric aircraft. They said the plane could start flying in 2022.
Both projects are ambitious in their scale and face major hurdles to get up and running without
the experience and expertise of established players like Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens.
Commercial planes account for about 2% of carbon emissions that contribute to climate
change, but the industry aims for carbon-neutral growth over the next decade through a
combination of new technology and biofuels.
Fuel is one of the biggest costs for airlines.
-- Jon Ostrower contributed reporting.
CNNMoney (London)
First published November 28, 2017: 12:25 PM ET
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3. 3/23/2018 Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce are building a hybrid electric plane - Nov. 28, 2017
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/28/technology/electric-plane-siemens-airbus-rolls-royce/index.html 3/3
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