VerdeGo Aero has announced plans for a 400-kilowatt hybrid-electric propulsion system. On Monday, the Florida-based start-up reported it is now making a flightworthy prototype of the VH-4T turbine-based powerplant, having started testing with a full-scale iron bird test rig in late 2023.
The VH-4T is based on VerdeGo Aero’s earlier 185-kilowatt VH-3 hybrid-electric propulsion system. It is being developed with support from the U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract as part of the Afwerx program.
The new powertrain will use Pratt & Whitney’s widely-used PW206/207 engine as its turbine element, integrated with electric motors, as well as electronic control and thermal management systems. The engine manufacturer’s parent group RTX invested in VerdeGo Aero in mid-2022 through its RTX Ventures division. To date, Pratt & Whitney has produced more than 6,700 units from the PW200 engine family, and these have logged more than 17 million hours in service.
In the longer term, VerdeGo Aero aims to bring a 1-megawatt powertrain to market. “We are seeing strong market demand across a variety of new electric aircraft configurations,” said David Eichstedt, the company’s vice president of product management. “400 kW seems to be a sweet spot for five- to seven-passenger air taxis, and eCTOL and eSTOL aircraft that carry up to around nine passengers, and cargo drones that need to carry over 1,000 pounds of payload.”
VerdeGo Aero will display a prototype of the VH4-T on the Afwerx booth at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, from July 22 to 28. The company, which is seeking certification for its propulsion systems under FAA Part 33 rules, will also exhibit at the Farnborough International Airshow next week.