Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has selected H55 S.A. to supply battery systems for P&WC’s regional hybrid-electric flight demonstrator programme. The development of the battery component designs and associated electrical control systems will also be supported by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and the Innovative Vehicle Institute (IVI).
The participation of H55 follows P&WC’s July 2021 announcement of its plans to demonstrate hybrid-electric propulsion technology, through a CAD$163 million (£102 million) investment, supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec. Working with Raytheon Technologies sister company Collins Aerospace and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, P&WC is targeting a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and a commensurate reduction in CO2 emissions, compared to today’s most advanced turboprop engines for regional aircraft. Collins Aerospace will provide the one megawatt electric motor for the hybrid-electric propulsion system.
As the technological spin-off of Solar Impulse, the first electric airplane to fly around the world, the mission of H55 is to make aviation clean, safe and affordable. The Swiss-based company’s core competencies lie in developing propulsion and energy storage solutions which are modular, lightweight and safe. After having worked and flown four electric aircraft, H55 is well placed to act as a key enabler for electrified regional commuter transportation.