HEA Economics

Commercial Feasibility of Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

Commercial Feasibility of Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

Hybrid-electric aircraft (HEA) rely on a novel propulsion architecture that allows radical changes in aircraft design. As a result, they may offer lower operating costs compared to their conventional jet engine counterparts. This study, funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute, explores the economic case for hybrid-electric aircraft using a unique airline competition model developed for the ACCLAIM project. Based upon a real flight network, each competing airline sequentially maximizes its operating profits, using flight frequency, airfare, and the type of aircraft employed (conventional and hybrid-electric) as a decision variable, until a pseudo-equilibrium is reached. To ensure robustness of the results, the study varies fuel price, seat numbers, and battery characteristics of the HEA.