French electric aircraft startup VoltAero inaugurated its new headquarters and production facility in France on November 8, 2024.
VoltAero plans to produce its Cassio family of electric-hybrid aircraft at this 2,400 square-meter factory, which is located at Rochefort-Charente-Maritime Airport (RCO) on France’s western coast.
The final assembly line will have the capacity to build up to 150 Cassio aircraft when fully operational, although the French firm had not ruled out the possibility opening additional production facilities if demand in certain markets makes it feasible.
The Cassio aircraft, which is yet to be certified, is being developed in three versions of different sizes, each named after the power deployed by its electric propulsion system.
The smallest, which will also be the first to be launched, is the five-seater Cassio 330, with a 330-kilowatt power train. This will be followed by the six-seater Cassio 480, producing up to 480 kilowatts, and the 12-seater, 600-kilowatt Cassio 600.
While propulsion will be electric during take–off, taxiing, landing and flights of up to 150 kilometers in length, a Kawasaki Motors conventional fuel-powered engine will act as a range extender and back-up.