The inauguration of VoltAero's final assembly facility and headquarters at Rochefort Airport on November 8, marks a major step towards certification and production of the company's Cassio electric-hybrid aircraft family, advancing a new era of sustainable regional air transportation.
Situated at Saint Agnant in the Charente-Maritime department of France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, this purpose-built 2,400 m² facility will serve as the primary hub for production and delivery of Cassio-family aircraft. The site is supported by VoltAero's on-site design, engineering, flight test and administrative departments, and is capable of assembling up to 150 Cassio aircraft annually at full production rate. Additional production sites are planned in other key geographical markets to support growing demand.
At the inauguration, VoltAero CEO and Chief Technology Officer Jean Botti emphasised the company's realistic approach to developing, certifying and producing the Cassio aircraft family. “We are addressing the highly important market requirement to connect thousands of communities and regions around the world with truly sustainable and efficient advanced regional air mobility – while remaining fully compatible with the airport and air traffic control infrastructure,” he said. “Additionally, our patented electric-hybrid propulsion system for Cassio provides the dual-source power to fly safely and is based on electric battery technology that is available today.”
Botti highlighted that France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine region has been at the heart of e-aviation since 2008, when he and his team built and flew the pioneering Cri-Cri and E-Fan all-electric planes during his time at Airbus. This was followed by VoltAero's development of its electric-hybrid propulsion system, now the functional heart of the Cassio aircraft family and validated on the Cassio S testbed aircraft.
The facility has direct access to Rochefort Airport's 2,280-metre-long by 45-metre-wide runway, along with road, rail and sea transportation links in the region. The master plan provides scope for future growth and enables suppliers and service providers to establish their own presence to support Cassio production. “With VoltAero's cornerstone presence, we look forward to the future evolution of an industrial ecosystem for sustainable aviation at Rochefort Airport and in the vicinity,” stated Gérard Pons, President of the Syndicat Mixte des Aéroports de La Rochelle – Île de Ré et Rochefort – Charente-Maritime.
The Cassio electric-hybrid aircraft family comprises three versions seating between five and 12 passengers, tailored for regional commercial operators, air taxi and charter companies, private and business operators, as well as utility services such as cargo, postal delivery and medical evacuation (Medevac) applications. VoltAero's initial production model will be the Cassio 330, designed with a four-to-five-seat configuration and powered by a combined electric-hybrid propulsion system producing 330 kilowatts. This will be followed by the six-seat Cassio 480 with 480 kilowatts of combined power, and the Cassio 600, which will accommodate 10 to 12 seats with 600 kilowatts of propulsion.
VoltAero's propulsion system is unique: the Cassio aircraft will utilise Safran ENGINeUS electric motors for all-electric power during taxi, take-off, primary flight (for distances under 150 km), and landing. The hybrid component, powered by an internal combustion engine from Kawasaki Motors, serves as a range extender by recharging the batteries during flight. This hybrid element also provides a backup, ensuring true fail-safe functionality should an issue arise with the electric propulsion system.
