[andrew*debbie]

Airbus and Rolls Royce cancled their E-Fan X project.

E-Fan X was a technology demonstrator and testbed for hybrid electric aircraft. It was due to fly by the end of this year.

Based on a BAe-146, the E-Fan X had one engine replaced with an electric turbine. On board batteries and turbine generator provided power for the electric motor.

Our decarbonisation journey continues: looking beyond E-Fan X

www.airbus.com

Our Sustainability Journey

Our Sustainability Journey

www.rolls-royce.com

 

[electricdriver]

Airbus and Rolls Royce cancled their E-Fan X project.

E-Fan X was a technology demonstrator and testbed for hybrid electric aircraft. It was due to fly by the end of this year.

Based on a BAe-146, the E-Fan X had one engine replaced with an electric turbine. On board batteries and turbine generator provided power for the electric motor.

Our decarbonisation journey continues: looking beyond E-Fan X

www.airbus.com

Our Sustainability Journey

Our Sustainability Journey

www.rolls-royce.com

View attachment 130224

Shame - but not surprising, given the financial stress both organisations must be experiencing with the bottom dropping out of the aviation market. Disappointing that it's described as "cancelled" rather than "paused".

 

[Tooks]

I’m sure it’ll be back once Rolls Royce is confident that there’s a market for it.

The concern is that development projects such as this take a back seat as investment dries up and companies understandably fight for survival and fall back on what works and is profitable now.

So, more of the same thinking and behaviour then.

 

[andrew*debbie]

Cancled implies it won't be coming back. The engineers involved will either be made redunant or moved to other projects.

I wouldn't be surprised if they scrap the airframe.

 

[TomH]

Sadly I think that you are right. I'll bet that there was some government research money in there somewhere (our money actually) and we should ask if this is not exactly what we need to support for our high-tech industrial future.

R-R represent one of the few companies that are actually "world leading" in UK. As are Airbus but I can see us splitting away from them next year.

As an aside, you'd get an impressive amount of regen out of electric airliner engines descending from 37000 feet!