Airbus announced on Wednesday that it is moving forward with a new demonstrator project aimed at developing hybrid-electric power systems for future commercial aircraft, working alongside partners from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The European Union's Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking supports the initiative, called LEIA — Large Scale Integration Demonstrator of Hybrid Electrical Architecture. According to Airbus, the project will focus on improving high-voltage power generation and distribution for electrical aircraft systems designed for short- and medium-range planes, with the goal of moving these technologies from component-level testing to aircraft-level readiness and eventual certification.

"Our progress in developing hybrid-electric technologies and our move into the LEIA demonstrator marks a pivotal shift in how we design the future of flight," said Karim Mokaddem, Head of Aircraft of Tomorrow Research and Technology at Airbus, in a statement.

Mokaddem added that the shift toward integrated, intelligent hybrid-electric architectures reflects a broader change in how the industry approaches next-generation aircraft design — one that involves not only new power sources but also the systems needed to manage them.

LEIA builds on an earlier Airbus-led initiative, the SWITCH project, which focused on hybrid-electric powertrain subsystems. That project reached a milestone this month when Collins Aerospace completed integrated laboratory testing, with contributions from partners including Pratt & Whitney, GKN Aerospace, and MTU Aero Engines.

The subsystems tested under SWITCH are now being moved to Airbus's Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects (STEP) laboratory in Ottobrunn, Germany, where engineering teams will do aircraft-level integration work on system design, battery interfacing, and energy-management functions.

Under LEIA, Airbus is coordinating the integration of several types of electrical hardware, including scalable motor/generators, next-generation electronic controllers, and power distribution equipment, along with other aircraft systems. Airbus said these components will undergo a testing programme leading to a full ground demonstration targeted for 2027.

The company said both SWITCH and LEIA form part of its wider participation in multiple Clean Aviation-backed projects targeting electrification technologies for regional and short-to-medium-range aircraft.

Source: PR