ELECTROPLANE

Main Goals of the Project

ELECTROPLANE was created with a simple yet ambitious objective: to develop propulsion systems for a new way of flying, cleaner and more sustainable. In the aeronautical sector—where innovation requires scientific rigor and a clear long‑term vision—the project aims to pave the way for a new generation of electric and hybrid‑electric aircraft capable of drastically reducing emissions.

To achieve this, ELECTROPLANE brings together expertise and technologies that span the entire propulsion chain: onboard energy storage systems, fuel cells, thermal management solutions, electric machines, and advanced software capable of intelligently managing energy and power flows. A crucial role is played by numerical models and digital twins, true “virtual counterparts” of real systems that help predict behavior and guide design decisions.

The path forward is gradual yet decisive: as solutions mature, the project moves from theory to practice, building experimental demonstrators with increasing power levels—up to the megawatt class—designed to validate technologies for future regional aircraft with reduced environmental impact.

CIRA Activities in the Project

With ELECTROPLANE, funded under PRORA DM 662/2020, CIRA aims to guide the scientific and technological development of the new propulsion systems. The effort begins with a thorough analysis of the current state of the art and the definition of development roadmaps, which then evolve into concrete tools: advanced simulation models, thermal management solutions, and strategies for energy and power control across the entire propulsion system.

The operational heart of the project lies in the four demonstrators that CIRA designs, integrates, and tests. DEMO_0, DEMO_1, and DEMO_2 illustrate a clear trajectory of growth: three electric or hybrid‑electric propulsion systems, each more powerful than the previous one, ranging from hundreds of kilowatts up to the megawatt class. Completing the suite is DEMO_TMS, dedicated to a critical challenge for future electric aircraft: how to safely and efficiently dissipate the heat generated by the components of the propulsion system and, among these, especially high-power fuel cells.

Alongside the technical design, CIRA defines the testing requirements and conducts experimental campaigns in dedicated facilities. The goal is clear: to validate the key technologies that may soon transform the way we fly.

General Project Information

Funding Programme: PRORA DM 662/2020 (MUR, Italian Ministry of University and Research)

Start Date: 01/01/2021; End Date: 31/12/2032

Coordinating Organization: CIRA

CIRA Contact: Antonio Pagano, a.pagano@cira.it