Hybrid-electric propulsion, combining an electric engine for certain phases of an aircraft\u2019s operation with a thermal engine for cruise flight, is emerging as a realistic alternative for kickstarting decarbonization in some segments of the aviation industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the first to spot the promising opportunities that this technology offers is Jean Botti, a former chief technology officer (CTO) at Airbus. In 2018, Botti founded VoltAero.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This French startup thus became one of the early champions of hybrid-electric technology, with a technology demonstrator aircraft called \u2018Cassio S\u2019 (a retroffited Cessna 337 Skymaster) flying thousands of miles across France.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n However, VoltAero\u2019s ultimate ambition is to develop a whole family of clean-sheet hybrid-electric aircraft. It will consist of three models: the five-seat Cassio 330, the six-seater Cassio 480 and the 12-seater Cassio 600 (the number of each model denoting its power, so 330, 480 and 600 kilowatts respectively).\u00a0<\/p>\n The first of these to undergo certification and enter the market will be the Cassio 330, which has received a significant degree of interest from operators around the world. These include Air New Zealand, which selected it for its \u2018Mission Next Gen Aircraft\u2019 program<\/a>, alongside other forerunners of sustainable aviation such as Heart Aerospace and BETA Technologies.\u00a0<\/p>\n VoltAero already showcased a full-size mockup of the Cassio 330 at the 2023 Paris Air Show<\/a>, but here at AeroTime we wished to learn more about the company\u2019s current flight-testing campaign and its industrial plans.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n![\"voltaero](\"https:\/\/www.aerotime.aero\/images\/2025\/04\/voltaero-1200x900.jpg\" "\\"voltaero")
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