Tests for Rolls-Royce’s new hybrid engine have started

The new tiny gas turbine from Rolls-Royce, which was created especially to power hybrid-electric flight, has been unveiled and is about to start testing.

The engine is a part of the turbogenerator system that is being developed for the Advanced Air Mobility industry. This comprises electronic vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility and commuter aircraft applications with up to 19 passengers.

The turbogenerator system will complement the Rolls-Royce Electrical propulsion portfolio by offering an on-board power source with scalable power offerings between 500kW and 1200kW that enables an expanded range of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and later, as it becomes available, through hydrogen combustion. The introduction of new, longer routes beyond those now enabled by electric battery-powered aircraft will be made possible by this.

According to Olaf Otto, President of Electrical at Rolls-Royce, “Rolls-Royce will be the leading provider of all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems for Advanced Air Mobility.” Our brand-new small engine’s Pass-To-Test (PTT), which will run our turbogenerator system, is a huge advancement. Our customers will be able to service more routes with electric flight thanks to this product, and more passengers will be able to travel further on low- to net-emissions aircraft. To create the turbogenerator system, Rolls-Royce is merging its knowledge of gas turbine and electrical research.

The new combustion engine uses recent technology developments to greatly improve the efficiency of tiny gas turbines. The turbogenerator may be used in hybrid serial or parallel applications. It is ideally suited to both directly power electrical propulsion units and replenish batteries, allowing aeroplanes to switch between power sources while in flight. The German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is helping to further this technology’s study and development.

This engine will undergo testing on SAF in the following months and be utilised to open the Rolls-Royce Dahlewitz testing facility. The Rolls-Royce Power Gearbox test facility has been updated to accommodate testing the new engine and validating its technical requirements.

Rolls-Royce is creating complete power and propulsion systems for uses such as all-electric and hybrid-electric cars. Modern technology is being used to develop our systems, including power electronics, control systems, electric motors, power production, and energy storage.