VerdeGo Aero Validates VH-3 Hybrid-Electric Powerplant

Next-generation electric aircraft propulsion company VerdeGo Aero has validated the efficiency of its hybrid-electric VH-3 powerplant.

VerdeGo Aero engineers have been putting the VH-3 through an array of rigorous full-scale tests since mid-2020, the company said in a release. VerdeGo Aero reported success after performing endurance tests lasting up to six hours. Testing included simulation of conditions during aircraft hover mode. Engineers measured fuel input and electrical output during the tests.

Specific fuel consumption during the test demonstrated “high efficiency during all phases of a typical flight,” VerdeGo Aero said.

The VH-3 aligns with developing aircraft such as the Jaunt Air Mobility Hybrid, allowing the airframe to gain up to 60 percent in fuel savings compared to competing current-generation aircraft, according to the release.

“The twin VerdeGo VH-3 installation in the Jaunt Hybrid Aircraft will provide unprecedented mission capability and efficiency for customers operating fleets of our aircraft,” Jaunt CCO Simon Briceno said. The powerplant was designed for passenger, autonomous, civilian, and military next-generation aircraft.

The testing also confirms that the VH-3 is compatible with sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), VerdeGo Aero said.

The powerplant is now expected to be available for non-certified aircraft customers by late 2023, VerdeGo Aero said, and certified engines will be ready in 2025.