ATR is aiming to fly a hybrid-electric regional aircraft by the end of this decade, leading two of the 12 projects newly granted Clean Aviation funding under the latest financing round for decarbonisation initiatives.
The 12 programmes – which focus on future aircraft and engine concepts – will share €945 million ($1.1 billion) in support, including €378 million from the European Union.
“These projects have high potential to make major advancements towards climate neutrality and sustainability,” says Clean Aviation joint undertaking executive director Alex Krein.
ATR will use a 72-600 testbed for its flagship HERACLES project to define an “ultra-efficient” hybrid-electric regional aircraft, says the manufacturer, which has been examining such concepts through its Evo programme.
While HERACLES has been selected for the Clean Aviation financial support, this effort will be complemented by a second funded project, DEMETRA, to develop a flight-test demonstrator.
“This is more than a technological demonstration,” insists ATR chief Nathalie Tarnaud Laude. “It’s a bold commitment to the future of regional aviation.
“By flying the world’s first hybrid-electric regional aircraft by 2030, we aim to further demonstrate that sustainability and connectivity can go hand in hand.”
ATR says the initiatives support the Clean Aviation target of up to 30% improvement in fuel efficiency, and “significantly reduced” carbon emissions, for a next-generation regional aircraft – with service entry by 2035.
Pratt & Whitney Canada is to co-operate on regional aircraft hybrid-electric propulsion through its PHARES project, which has obtained €69 million of Clean Aviation funding.
For PHARES, the company will design and integrate a hybrid-electric propulsion demonstrator aiming for up to 20% better fuel efficiency on regional aircraft operations. The propulsion system will comprise a derivative of the PW127XT turboprop engine, connected to a Collins 250kW electric motor drive system via an optimised propeller gearbox.
“Hybrid-electric propulsion and electrified aircraft systems are key parts of RTX’s technology roadmap for optimising performance and enhancing fuel efficiency across multiple future aircraft platforms,” says Pratt & Whitney Canada president Maria Della Posta. ”PHARES represents a transformative opportunity to demonstrate the potential for regional aviation.”
Selection of the PHARES project marks the first time a Canadian-led initiative has gained Clean Aviation funding since a bilateral agreement between Ottawa and the EU in 2024 opened up the programme.
Regional aircraft technologies will be allocated €144 million of the EU funding. French aerospace firm Safran’s electrical and power division – which has an on-board systems project, OSYRYS, for hybrid regional aircraft – is among the successful candidates.
Airbus’s short- and medium-range aircraft configuration and integration initiative, as well as its demonstrator for hybrid-electrical architecture, have been selected for Clean Aviation funding.
Engine manufacturers Rolls-Royce and Safran also made the cut, with their respective ‘Take Off’ project for open-fan technology and ‘Unified’ initiative for novel integrated engine demonstrations.
The Clean Aviation joint undertaking says selected projects will commence at the beginning of next year, with first flight tests envisioned in 2028-2029.
Its funding allocation features four fast-track initiatives including ‘Cryostar’ – which will explore crashworthiness methodology for an integrated liquid hydrogen tank – plus projects dealing with aviation batteries, electronics, and lithium-based technology in future aircraft.
This fast-track scheme is a new idea, introduced with the latest funding round, intended to advance and de-risk disruptive technology offered by research centres and smaller enterprises, particularly in connection with the short-medium-range and regional aircraft programmes.
