Zunum Aero Developing Hybrid-Electric Aircraft for Fast and Affordable Travel Up To 1,000 Miles
April 05 2017 - 5:00AM
Business Wire
Boeing and JetBlue Technology Ventures-backed
startup offers flexible travel to thousands of communities starting
in the early 2020s
Zunum Aero, a pioneer in electric aviation, is developing
regional hybrid-electric aircraft for the early 2020s, offering
unmatched door-to-door speeds and reduced costs for flights from
700 miles at launch, to over 1,000 miles by 2030. Zunum Aero
aircraft are designed to take aviation into the future: enabling
frequent service to the nation’s network of over 5,000
underutilized regional and general aviation airports. These 10 - 50
seat aircraft will pave the way to a golden era of fast and
affordable electric air travel, reversing the 70 year consolidation
of air services. Zunum Aero is backed by Boeing (NYSE: BA) and
JetBlue Technology Ventures, a subsidiary of JetBlue Airways
(NASDAQ: JBLU); both believe that regional travel is ripe for
transformation.
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Zunum Aero, backed by Boeing and JetBlue
Technology Ventures, is developing hybrid-electric aircraft for
fast and affordable travel up to 1,000 miles (Photo: Business
Wire)
With multiple patented technologies already in place, Zunum Aero
has designed an innovative class of hybrid-electric aircraft and is
developing technologies to create a regional electric air network.
These aircraft, as part of new regional electric air networks, will
offer a fast, flexible and affordable alternative to highways and
high-speed rail, operating point-to-point and as feeders to hub
airports.
"The shift of the industry to large aircraft and long ranges
driven by gas turbines has concentrated almost all air traffic to
just two percent of our airports, creating a massive transport gap
over regional distances where there is no high-speed alternative.
As a result, door-to-door times for most journeys are no better
than they were 50 years ago," said Ashish Kumar, CEO and founder,
Zunum Aero. "Hybrid propulsion is an industry-changing solution,
enabling mid-sized aircraft on regional routes to have better cost
efficiencies than airliners.”
By shifting traffic from hubs to regional airports, Zunum Aero
is democratizing access to fast and affordable travel. Designing
aircraft for walk-on, walk-off travel from nearby airports
addresses the major pain points of modern air transit while filling
a vast regional transport gap. For example, passengers can expect
to travel from regional airports in the Boston area to Washington,
DC for half the fare and in half the time it takes today
door-to-door. For those on the West Coast, Silicon Valley to the LA
area drops to two and a half hours door-to-door, from over five
hours today, or to Lake Tahoe in just two hours at a fraction of
today’s cost. Additional estimates of impact include:
- 40% decrease in door-to-door travel
times on busy corridors, and by as much as 80% on less trafficked
ones;
- Much lower operating costs enabling
fares 40% to 80% below current prices;
- 80% lower emissions, dropping to zero
over time as battery densities improve; and
- 75% drop in community noise, opening up
all-hours access to smaller airports.
Zunum Aero is three years into development with an experienced,
multidisciplinary team across aircraft, aircraft engines and
electric vehicle disciplines, including leaders of two flying
electric vehicle programs and the leader of a NASA-funded program
on drives for electric airliners.
In addition to backing by Boeing through its Boeing HorizonX
innovation cell and JetBlue Technology Ventures, Zunum has a
long-term partnership with the Center for Power Optimization of
Electro-Thermal Systems, an NSF Engineering Research Center at the
University of Illinois, and a network of collaborators across
leading Universities and government labs. The team has also been
actively engaged with the FAA since 2014 to drive development of
certification standards for electric aircraft. A complete set of
standards for electric aircraft are expected by 2018, and the first
electrics are likely to certify in 2020, in time for the first
Zunum aircraft to roll off a production line.
“Boeing HorizonX is investing in Zunum because we feel its
technology development is leading this emerging and exciting
hybrid-electric market space. This technology and customer approach
has the potential to transform the market for small, short-haul
aircraft that can use smaller regional airports,” said Steve
Nordlund, Vice President, Boeing HorizonX.
“At JetBlue Technology Ventures, our goal is to be part of a
disruptive force rather than the one being disrupted and we seek
new technologies that look to change the game,” said Bonny Simi,
President, JetBlue Technology Ventures. “As a company that is also
deeply committed to innovation in sustainable travel, we believe
that Zunum and its quiet, environmentally-friendly aircraft will
light up a vast network of underutilized airports and reinvent
regional travel.”
About Boeing
Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading
manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and
security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports
airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries.
Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and
military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense
systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication
systems, and performance-based logistics and training.
About JetBlue Technology
Ventures
JetBlue Technology Ventures invests in, incubates and partners
with early stage startups at the intersection of technology, travel
and hospitality to improve the entire travel experience. The
company prioritizes investments that advance the customer-centric
journey; technology empowered customer service; the future of
operations and maintenance; revenue management, sales &
distribution; and new regional transport ecosystems. Founded in
2016, JetBlue Technology Ventures is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) and is located in Silicon Valley, Calif. For
more information, visit JetBlueVentures.com.
About Zunum Aero
Zunum Aero is building a family of commercial hybrid-to-electric
aircraft designed for regional transit, and powered by quiet
range-optimized powertrain and propulsion technologies. The
company’s vision is to develop 1,000-mile electric air networks to
bring fast and affordable travel to every community. Founded in
2013, Zunum Aero is located in Kirkland, Washington. To learn more,
visit Zunum.aero.
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