ZeroAvia Announces Positive Test Results On Power Inverter Tech

Hybrid-powered aircraft developer ZeroAvia announced on Monday (Jan. 22) that it has successfully completed initial testing on its 200kW continuous power inverter design. Describing inverter technology as “highly weight-efficient,” ZeroAvia said its test unit operated at 230kW from 800 volts of direct current (Vdc). “This inverter performance is a large step for change for the industry,” ZeroAvia said.

Inverter technology takes DC power from electric power sources, such as ZeroAvia’s hydrogen fuel cells, converts it to AC power, and controls the flow to electric motors that power an aircraft. Other potential power sources include batteries and other non-hydrogen hybrid systems. The company sees the capability of its inverters to efficiently transform DC power to AC as “an integral part of the zero-emission, hydrogen-electric aviation engines that ZeroAvia is developing.”

ZeroAvia says its core inverter technology has applications across a wide range of engine sizes, starting with its 600kW ZA600 powerplant designed for aircraft with 9 to 19 seats. The 900kW HyperCore electric motor is designed to be stacked in series as the ZA2000, meant to be capable of powering 40- to 80-seat regional airliners.

Val Miftakhov, ZeroAvia founder and CEO, said: “This kind of technological breakthrough will create enormous value for the company and will have massive impact on transitioning the entirety of aviation away from fossil fuels.”