Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration

Overview

NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project focuses advancing the future of sustainable aviation by turning hybrid electric flight into a reality. Under the agency’s Integrated Aviation Systems Program (IASP), EPFD is accelerating the transition of megawatt(MW)-class powertrains to single-aisle commercial airliners carrying up to 180 passengers.

EPFD is partnering with U.S. industry to conduct ground and flight tests of hybrid electric propulsion systems using existing testbed aircraft retrofitted with new Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) technologies. The project aims to complete at least two demonstrations around 2025, and introduce EAP systems to the commercial fleet within the 2030 to 2035 timeframe.

Industry Partners

NASA is collaborating with two U.S. companies under EPFD: GE Aviation and magniX. These partnerships will play a key role in the early phases of EAP testing with technology development, system integration, data analysis, and risk identification to determine new standards for future electrified aircraft.

GE Aviation

Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, GE Aviation is partnering with NASA to demonstrate a hybrid electric propulsion system for the single-aisle aircraft market using a modified Saab 340B testbed aircraft. GE Aviation is teaming up with Boeing and Aurora Flight Sciences to support flight tests of its propulsion system and assist with aircraft modification, system integration, and flight-testing services.

magniX

Located in Everett, Washington, magniX is collaborating with NASA to demonstrate electrified propulsion technologies using a hybrid electric Dash 7 aircraft. magniX is joining forces with Air Tindi to supply the aircraft and AeroTEC to help with system integration, aircraft design and modification, and flight testing.