Airbus is to put its two-seat E-Fan powered by electric motors into serial production in Pau, France. Construction on a new plant will start in 2016 and Airbus has set a target for entry-into-service for the E-Fan 2.0 of the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018.
Airbus’s E-Fan project started in 2012 with an intensive development phase of more than 12 months. The demonstrator aircraft was first presented at the Paris Air Show in 2013. Since its first flight on 11 March 2014, the E-Fan has performed more than 78 test flights with more than 38 flight hours in total.
The decision on the production line was announced by Airbus Group Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Jean Botti and Alain Rousset, President of the Aquitaine region, during a press conference in Bordeaux, the capital city of Aquitaine.
“We have reached the next milestone in our Airbus Group E-Aircraft roadmap. The industrialisation of our E-Fan aircraft will help us to advance electric flight and also to gain experience to scale up the technology,” said Jean Botti, Airbus Group CTO.
Voltair SAS, created in 2014 and owned 100 percent by Airbus Group, will manage the E-Fan development, production and delivery in the Pau area. Voltair will also be in charge of selling and providing services like maintenance for the E-Fan aircraft.
Airbus Group will invest 20 million euro in design and development of the E-Fan 2.0, in addition to contributions from Airbus Group’s partners. Pau is a regional centre for the aeronautics industry in France and was chosen as it is located close to design partner Daher in nearby Tarbes. Pau also offers direct access to the runway at a medium size airport and generally has good weather.
MORE
Airbus E-Fan
