The VoltAero prototype Cassio 330 hybrid-electric aircraft will be equipped with Electric Power Systems’ EPiC™ energy storage system, bringing industry-leading battery technology to VoltAero’s first-built versions of its Cassio airplane family.
An agreement, announced on January 27 by the two companies, calls for the initial EPiC™ energy storage system to be delivered in the first half of 2022 for integration on VoltAero’s no. 1 Cassio 330 – the company’s four-seat variant with a combined hybrid-electric power of 330 kilowatts.
The EPiC™ energy storage system contains advanced cell technology that offers an energy density of over 200 Wh/kg (watt-hours per kilogram) at the battery pack level, while providing over 2,000 fast-charge cycles before replacement is required. The EPiC Ecosystem developed by Electric Power Systems consists of modular building blocks that allow customization at the aircraft level.
Cassio aircraft are to be built in a dedicated production facility at Rochefort Airport in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Ground breaking is scheduled for the first half of 2022.