The artist rendering provided by Airbus on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017 shows an Airbus e-FanX hybrid test plane. The aircraft will be flying with one electric turbofan motor and 3 conventional engines. The electric power for the electric engine is being produced by a turbine within the plane that serves as a generator. (Airbus via AP) Three big European companies are teaming up to develop a hybrid passenger plane that uses a single electric turbofan along with three conventional jet engines.
The plane is an effort to develop and demonstrate technology that in the future could help limit emissions of carbon dioxide from aviation and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce said Tuesday they aim to build a flying version of the E-Fan X technology demonstrator plane by 2020.
The aircraft would be based on a BAe 146 four-engine jet. The hybrid version would generate electric power through a turbine within the plane. That power would be used to turn the fan blades of the single electric turbofan engine.
If the system works a second electric motor could be added, the companies said.
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