Safran’s ENGINeUS smart electric motor, the ENGINeUS 100, has been in the works over at French aerospace company Safran since 2021. It should serve the needs of aircraft ranging from personal transporters to medium-sized commercial planes, either by completely electrifying their powertrains, or by becoming part of some sort of hybrid system.
The ENGINeUS 100 comes with built-in power and control electronics, thus making it suitable for use in passengers aircraft that can carry as many as four people, or even in larger one that can fly 19 people on a regional trip.
The air-cooled motor, light and compact as to be easily integrated into existing designs, can generate a maximum power of 168 hp. That number translates into a weight-to-power ratio of 5 kW/kg.
Safran wasn’t the only one involved in this. The EASA got into the testing of the engine as well (over 1,500 hours of certification tests were performed, but also 100 hours of actual flight), because it too had to learn what airworthiness rules the tech must follow for it to be certified.
Now that it got the certification it was after, Safran announced that it will start producing the ENGINeUS 100 in 2026. Two facilities, one in Niort, France, and the other in Pitstone, UK, will be tasked with making the motors, and they should roll out a combined 1,000 electric motors each year.
It’s not exactly clear when the first aircraft powered by the ENGINeUS will take to the sky or what plane that will be.
All Aero 