FutureFlight
French Government Backs VoltAero's Hybrid-Electric Cassio Aircraft with €5.6 Million Grant
VoltAero, which is preparing to exhibit at the Paris Air Show later this month, is increasing its capital base through a Series B funding round that is supported by Kawasaki Motors.
VoltAero Cassio hybrid-electric aircraft.
VoltAero has secured provisional orders for its Cassio hybrid-electric aircraft from prospective operators including fractional ownership group Sky2Share. (Image: VoltAero)

The French government is backing VoltAero’s work on the Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft with a €5.6 million ($6 million) grant. The funding, announced on June 8, is part of the country’s France 2030 investment fund and was awarded by BPI France, the agency tasked with fueling economic growth by backing entrepreneurs.

VoltAero’s propulsion system is based on electric motors installed in the aft fuselage that will be used for all-electric power during taxi and takeoff, as well as during cruise flight on short trips of less than 150 kilometers (94 miles). An internal combustion engine provides supplementary power to extend range, while also recharging the batteries during flights.

In this article