Airbus reveals electric CityAirbus NextGen prototype for future flights

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Airbus has revealed its fully electric prototype, CityAirbus NextGen, to the public, in anticipation of its first flight later this year. Weighing in at two tonnes and boasting a wingspan of around 12 meters, the CityAirbus is designed to have an 80 km range and achieve a cruise speed of 120 km/h, making it an ideal choice for various missions within major cities.

The revelation of the prototype coincides with the inauguration of the new CityAirbus test center in Donauwörth, dedicated to testing systems for electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs). This facility represents Airbus’ ongoing and extensive investment in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Operational since December 2023 with the CityAirbus NextGen’s power-on, the center will now facilitate the remaining tests necessary before the prototype’s maiden flight later this year. These tests encompass evaluations of the electric motors, featuring eight rotors, along with assessments of the aircraft’s flight controls and avionics systems.

“Rolling out CityAirbus NextGen for the very first time is an important and very real step that we are taking towards advanced air mobility and our future product and market. Thank you to our community, team and partners all over the world for helping us make this a reality,” said Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus.

Simultaneously, Airbus is broadening its global network and partnerships to establish a distinctive ecosystem aimed at nurturing a prosperous and sustainable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market. Recently, Airbus forged a partnership agreement with LCI, a prominent aviation company, to concentrate on developing partnership scenarios and business models in three fundamental AAM domains: strategy, commercialization, and financing.

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