VoltAero readies plans to produce its hybrid-electric Cassio 330

Looks like VoltAero, the French hydrid-electric startup is moving ahead at an accelerated pace.

Earlier this month of July one of its Cassio hybrid-electric demonstrator aircraft completed a 3000km aerial “Tour de France" of sorts (on pretty much the same dates as the cycling race) touring several cities the width and breadth of France.

The end point of this itinerary was the city of Rochefort, on the Atlantic coast of France (not to be mistaken for its namesake, Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, where the famous blue cheese is made!), where, it was announced, VoltAero is going to build its factory.

The planes are going to be assembled in a 6,770-square-meter site that is expected to start churning out planes by the end of 2023.

The first plane to be produced at the Rochefort site is going to be the 330kw Cassio 330, which will then be followed by the larger and more powerful Cassio 480 and 600 (as in the smaller member of the family, the numbers designate the number of Kw!).

The Cassio 330 (and I guess the other members of this aircraft family) is going to look nothing like the demonstrator that has completed this exhibition air tour. VoltAero recently presented a new design that is way sleeker. The airframe is going to be built by the Belgian aerostructures maker Sonaca.