Let’s get hybrid

We welcome any technological advance that can lessen our environmental impact and help us to tackle climate change. 

The automotive industry has led the way in vehicle hybridisation and electrification. This panel demonstrated how cross-industry collaboration is a key driver of technological breakthroughs. 

Hybridisation will allow us to improve aircraft performance and reduce fuel consumption. It has already been introduced in Airbus helicopters. We will explore how hybridisation can benefit our commercial aircraft too.

We took a look at how our partners use hybridisation and how we are working together with engine manufacturers and OEM to innovate and progress.

• In the automotive industry, vehicle hybridisation has been a stepping-stone towards electrification. The aerospace sector is now on a similar journey, through the incremental adoption of hybrid-electric propulsion. Hybridisation is a further means of improving aircraft efficiency, but a 100% electric aircraft is not realistic.
   
• In terms of Airbus’ roadmap for energy-related technologies, developments are not sequential. There are a number of exploratory hybridisation projects running concurrently based on a common technology ‘block’ of 300/500 KW. They could benefit a wide range of Airbus products.
   
• Several of these projects are being run in conjunction with Airbus’ aerospace partners, as this is very much a collective endeavour. Some are also supported by the European Union, as part of its Clean Aviation programme. 
   
• Hybrid-electric flight can benefit from the lessons learned within the automotive industry, and at Airbus we are also building on our own considerable experience in battery research and electric propulsion. 
   
• Airbus and Renault have a common ambition evidenced by a new partnership agreement announced during the event. The partnership is particularly focused on energy management and battery research.

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