VerdeGo Aero Starts Producing Hybrid-Electric Powertrain

VerdeGo Aero has begun low-rate production of its VH-4T-RD hybrid-electric powerplant. The U.S. company announced the move on November 20, saying that during 2026 it aims to deliver batches of the propulsion system to various undisclosed customers for pre-certification ground and flight testing with hybrid-electric aircraft.

The VH-4T-RD hardware is being built as a pre-cursor to the VH-4T-415 production powertrain that VerdeGo Aero said will be certified with the FAA before going into high-volume production. It said the unit, with 400 kilowatts (550 hp) of continuous power, is suitable for hybrid VTOL aircraft, as well as fixed wing platforms and drones.

According to VerdeGo Aero, the VH-4T-RD powerplant has been run for “hundreds” of ground test hours, including 150 hours of tests conducted for the U.S. Air Force to assess durability requirements for Part 133 type certification. That exercise was conducted in the company’s Hybrid Systems Integration Laboratory in Daytona Beach, Florida, and was based on the mission profile of an eVTOL aircraft, including a high-frequency turbulence model to validate the powerplant’s response to rapid changes in load and dynamic flight conditions.

VerdeGo Aero is aiming to have the VH-4T-415 powerplant available in 2027 as part of development work that is supported by a Phase III contract from the Air Force. This unit is expected to have improved redundancy and power output.

The company said the production lead time for the VH-4T-RD equipment is between 9 and 12 months. It is intended to expedite the development process for new and converted hybrid-electric aircraft.