As part of the Dubai Airshow 2021, the Italian manufacturer Tecnam Aircraft announced the launch of the P-Volt Transition Program that seeks to facilitate the upgrade for those customers owning the P2012 Traveller model.
At the end of 2020 Tecnam had announced its partnership with engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce for the development of an all-electric propulsion system that could offer a solution to the problem of CO2 emissions from air operations: the P-Volt.
The company reported that «the TECNAM P-Volt propulsion and avionics system is specifically aimed at commercial operations. State-of-the-art electric motors, avionics, heating, air conditioning, and de-icing/anti-icing systems will provide fully sustainable and pollution-free transportation.»
Also, dedicated battery technology can ensure a full power supply during flight. «The benefits of the propulsion system also extend to reducing aircraft operating costs and noise emissions for a more accessible and convenient transportation system that will elevate air transport operations worldwide to new heights», they added.
The P-Volt will be built on the same platform as the P2012 Traveller, one of the manufacturer’s flagship models. It will host the same avionics suite and the capabilities will be very similar to those of the original model. On the other hand, the most notable differences between the two models will be, as with most electric developments, speed and range.
Matheu Parr, Rolls-Royce Electrical’s Chief Customer Officer, said, «Rolls-Royce is entering new advanced air mobility markets to pioneer sustainable energy (…) Our energy storage systems will enable P-Volt to achieve zero-emission flights of 100 nautical miles in this decade and improve from this position as battery technology develops».
The companies responsible for the P-Volt project are careful about the size of their proposal. They know that the development has, for the moment, a limited scope mainly because of the question of battery autonomy. In that sense, Tecnam’s R&D and product development director Fabio Russo stated, «The battery industry is actively working on developing higher capacity energy storage solutions and the technology can advance faster, however, Tecnam and Rolls-Royce are focusing on solutions that are real, commercially viable and can only improve over time».
That is why the P-Volt is designed so that its batteries are interchangeable, so they could be replaced when technological innovation provides new solutions to increase aircraft performance.
As part of the presentation of the P-Volt Transition Program at the Dubai Airshow, Tecnam CEO Giovanni Pascale Langer said, «We are very proud to have partnered with Rolls-Royce for this historic project. Our organizations share two key values: the pursuit of meaningful innovation and the pursuit of excellence. We are committed to building an uncompromising and sustainable path to green aviation»/
The P-Volts are developed for commercial electric flights with up to nine passengers; in addition, they will be able to fulfill cargo, sanitary, and other special missions. They are a great option to deepen the process of decarbonization of the industry, which is increasingly taking shape with the introduction of sustainable aviation fuels, the efficient design of routes and procedures, and other initiatives of different actors in the sector aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the activity.
Aviacionline is participating in the Dubai Airshow with a team of four special delegates to provide our readers with the best coverage in Spanish. You can follow the news on the special microsite aviacionline.com/dubai2021 or through our accounts on Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram.
