Piaggio Aerospace is laying plans for a possible hydrogen-electric business aircraft, featuring a completely new airframe. Chief technology officer Antonio Sollo told Climate Transformed’s green aviation webinar on May 10, that the Italian company has evaluated possible battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems for its existing P180 Avanti Evo twin-turboprop model but has concluded it would not be commercially viable to convert this to a new propulsion system.
In preparing Piaggio’s Technology Development Plan for 2023-27, its engineering team has looked at medium-term options covering hybrid- and full-electric versions of the Avanti. Its conclusion: based on projected improvements in battery technology, for the so-called eP180 model to be able to carry four passengers and two pilots on missions of around 300 nm, the aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight would have to increase significantly, from 12,100 to 16,200 pounds.
