VoltAero launches assembly facility for its Cassio hybrid aircraft in France
SAINT AGNANT, France - VoltAero in Saint Agnant, France announced the completion of its final assembly facility and headquarters at Rochefort Airport. VoltAero will produce the company’s Cassio electric-hybrid aircraft family at its new facility. The 2,400-square-meter facility will serve as the primary site for Cassio assembly, supported by VoltAero’s design, engineering, testing, and administrative departments. The facility is designed to handle an annual output of 150 Cassio aircraft, with plans for future expansion into other markets.
The facility was designed with sustainability in mind. It complies with France’s RT 2005 energy-efficient building standards and includes features such as a concrete-wood structure, wooden floors, skylights, rainwater harvesting, and solar panels. Positioned adjacent to Rochefort Airport’s 2,280-meter runway, the facility has access to the region’s transportation networks, allowing for future expansion and the potential development of a local supply ecosystem.
“With VoltAero’s cornerstone presence, we look forward to the future evolution of an industrial ecosystem for sustainable aviation at Rochefort Airport and in the vicinity,” said Gérard Pons, President of the Syndicat Mixte des Aéroports de La Rochelle - Ile de Ré et Rochefort - Charente-Maritime.
The Cassio aircraft family includes three electric-hybrid models, seating between five and twelve passengers. They are intended for regional commercial, air taxi, charter, private, and utility use, including cargo, postal delivery, and medical evacuation. VoltAero’s first production model, the Cassio 330, will feature four to five seats and 330 kilowatts of electric-hybrid propulsion power. The Cassio 480, with six seats, and the Cassio 600, accommodating up to twelve passengers, are slated to follow, offering 480 and 600 kilowatts of power, respectively.
The Cassio’s propulsion system, which uses Safran ENGINeUS electric motors, enables all-electric taxiing, takeoff, and short-range flight. For longer distances, a Kawasaki Motors internal combustion engine acts as a range extender, recharging the batteries mid-flight and providing backup for enhanced safety.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine President Alain Rousset highlighted the economic and environmental importance of VoltAero’s new production site, saying it reinforces the region’s position as a leader in decarbonization. “VoltAero’s presence here underscores the capability of Nouvelle-Aquitaine to offer resources for the development of skills and solutions for tomorrow, as well as attracting, guiding, and training talent to meet recruitment challenges for the new professions in sustainability,” Rousset said.
