Elysian Aircraft will later this year unveil an updated design for its E9X battery-powered airliner and has in the meantime contracted Spanish aerostructures supplier Aernnova to begin initial wing development studies.
Speaking to FlightGlobal at the Paris air show, co-chief executive Daniel Rosen Jacobson says the second iteration of the E9X design is “nearly finished” and is currently undergoing review.
“The principles of the first design are solid and work but we are going to make some updates.” These will mainly focus on the “volume of the wing”, tweaking the design slightly.
“The airplane won’t change that much in terms of the principles underlying it but there will be some different design choices,” he says.
When Elysian broke cover in early 2024, it revealed plans for a battery-powered airliner capable of carrying up to 90 passengers on routes of up to 430nm (800km). A turbogenerator in the rear fuselage provides a 45min reserve.
Featuring a long, 42m- (138ft)-span wing and a slim fuselage, thrust for the E9X comes from eight 1.3MW electric motors powered by batteries located in the wing-box.
Elysian intends to perform the first flight of an EX9 prototype in 2030, with service entry around three years later.
As the planned location of the batteries is central to the concept, the design of the wing is critical.
Elysian says the pact with Aernnova “will be instrumental in the structural development of the E9X, particularly as we tackle the complex and critical engineering challenge of integrating the wing and battery systems”.
Jacobson says the two companies will collaborate “to figure out how to create a structure around the battery pack that works for our aircraft”.
In parallel, Elysian continues to work through the more challenging aspects of the design – a list of 10 items it previously referred to as “hot potatoes”.
“These are all cooled off,” says Jacobson, “although two are still lukewarm.” Those ‘lukewarm’ elements include the wing design and battery integration.
Elysian also recently moved into new premises in Hoofddorp near Schiphol airport, now sharing a building with sister Panta Group company Fokker Services.
A dedicated space will allow the company to begin making and testing components, he says, with a “big area of focus” on the development of the battery packs which are a “core technology” for the E9X.
He also believes the relationship with Fokker Services will assist Elysian going forward, particularly its design and certification expertise.
Jacobson says the “goal for the next three years is to bring these technologies to a more mature technology readiness level”.
Multiple test benches will be set up in its headquarters, including an electric system ‘copper bird’, with the powertrain and electric motor – including its 3.7m-diameter propeller – also to be subjected to windtunnel testing.
Additionally, Elysian is contemplating flight tests of powertrain on a flying testbed aircraft, says Jacobson.
Meanwhile, the company is in the middle of a Series A funding round that will likely close in the third quarter. “It is going in the right direction,” says Jacobson.
He estimates the initial development of the E9X and construction of the prototype will cost around €300 million ($345 million), while a further €5-10 billion will be required to test, certify and industrialise the aircraft.
Elysian will also receive funding from the Dutch government’s Luchtvaart in transitie green aviation initiative.
