Airbus presents electric prototype ahead of maiden flight

The CityAirbus, belonging to the two-tonne class and featuring a wing span of around 12 metres, is designed to cover a distance of 80km and achieve a cruising speed of 120km/h. This design renders it an ideal solution for urban missions in large cities.

The debut of the CityAirbus coincides with the inauguration of Airbus' new test centre in Donauwörth, aimed at conducting trials for electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs). This centre, reflecting Airbus' sustained commitment to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), initiated its activities with the CityAirbus NextGen's power-on in December 2023. It will now facilitate the upcoming tests necessary before the prototype's anticipated first flight later this year, focusing on the electric motors and their eight rotors, alongside other critical systems like flight controls and avionics.

Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, shared her enthusiasm about reaching this milestone: “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.”

Moreover, Airbus is actively broadening its international network and forging partnerships to cultivate a unique ecosystem conducive to a thriving and sustainable AAM market. A recent collaboration with LCI, a prominent aviation firm, underscores Airbus' dedication to exploring partnership scenarios and business models across three pivotal AAM domains: strategy, commercialisation, and financing.