The EcoPulse hybrid-electric distributed propulsion demonstrator made its public debut at the 2023 Paris Air Show this week. Developed by Daher, Safran and Airbus, the demonstrator will be used to “evaluate the operational advantages of integrating hybrid-electric distributed propulsion” particularly as it relates to CO2 emissions and noise levels. For the project, Airbus developed the battery and handled aerodynamic and acoustic integration of the distributed propulsion system while Safran is responsible for the electric propulsion system including a turbogenerator, electric power management system and six integrated electric thrusters. Daher is managing the installation of components and systems, flight testing, airworthiness compliance and analysis coordination.
“With EcoPulse, we learned a lot from developing the high-power battery pack entirely, from the monitoring system to the thermal runaway and short-circuit tests,” said Airbus Chief Technical Officer Sabine Klauke. “Some of these key learnings are already applied in several of our demonstrators with the common ambition to lower emissions.”
A modified Daher TBM 900 turboprop, EcoPulse flew for the first time in 2022 using a conventional thermal engine and is expected to complete its first flight with the hybrid-electric propulsion system later this year. Daher Chief Technology Officer Pascal Laguerre noted that the demonstrator has currently logged around 27 hours of flight time with the electric propellers feathered. As previously reported by AVweb, Daher, Safran and Airbus announced the EcoPulse project in 2019.
