Textron; ZeroAvia Announce Collab On Caravan Electro-Hydrogen Conversion In an announcement made today, ZeroAvia and Textron Aviation are going to be collaborating on a new project which will see the workhorse Cessna 208 Caravan being able to be converted to electro-hydrogen propulsion. ZA600 electric powertrain will be utilized and with the collaboration announced, ZeroAvia aims to have the ZA600 system certified by the FAA by 2025. The collaboration runs right up the efforts of Textron Aviation after they announced earlier this year a new division, eAviation and also acquired Pipistrel to help propel that vision.
The Cessna Caravan is a good candidate for this conversion especially with the established high-wing design. Hydrogen tanks can easily be hung as depicted in the rendering. This is a good solution as there is no need for storing inside the fuselage which could result in the reduction of space for passengers or cargo. ZeroAvia has already been conducting ground tests with the Dornier 228 they acquired. Flight tests should be starting in the short term. The Caravan is a wise airframe choice for this conversion as there are numerous in service all over the world. Textron has shipped more than 2,400 examples across the world. For more information: Cessna Aircraft Company 1 Cessna Blvd. Wichita, KS 67215 www.cessna.com ***