Tecnam Aircraft has launched the P-Volt Transition Programme that gives P2012 Traveller owners priority slots for the P-Volt upgrade.
P-Volt is based on the P2012 Traveller piston platform with an electric propulsion system developed by Rolls-Royce.
Fabio Russo, Tecnam’s Chief R&D and Product Development Officer, said, “The green innovation is paramount and real innovation takes time. We see many businesses overpromising. This is not how we do things at Tecnam.
“The Transition Programme is a real path where we have the P2012 Traveller, already in service, that will make the transition to the P-Volt as smoothly as possible, especially for those operators accustomed to flying with 20+ seat aircraft.”
Built on Tecnam’s P2012 Traveller airframe, P-Volt will host the same avionic suite and require similar training as its parent model. The key points of differentiation between the two models will be in the typical cruise speed and range, directly related to P-Volt’s need to adapt to the state-of-art in battery technology.
Matheu Parr of Rolls-Royce Electrical said, “Rolls-Royce is entering new advanced air mobility markets to pioneer sustainable power and as part of that mission we are developing a portfolio of all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsion solutions.
“Our energy storage systems (ESS) will enable P-Volt to undertake zero emissions flights of 100nm this decade and improve from this position as battery technology develops.”
Russo added, “The battery industry is actively working on developing higher energy storage capability solutions and technology may advance faster. However, Tecnam and Rolls-Royce are focusing on solutions that are real, commercially viable and that can only improve with time.”
P-Volt will have easy-to-swap battery design that will enable operators to upgrade to the new battery solutions, increasing the aircraft performance over time.
Tecnam presented the green aircraft Transition at this year’s Dubai Expo Air Show where Tecnam’s Managing Director Giovanni Pascale Langer said, “We are very proud to have partnered with Rolls-Royce for this landmark project.
“Our organizations share two key values: the pursuit of meaningful innovation and the pursuit of excellence. We are committed to building an uncompromised and sustainable path to green aviation.”
One of Tecnam’s best customers for the P2012, Cape Air has already committed to the P-VOLT programme. Cape Air is a Part 135 operator and will expand its fleet of Tecnam P2012 Travellers with P-Volt aircraft to provide Green Routes within the US.
