Whisper Aero is hoping to break into the electric passenger jet market buy 2030. Credit: Whisper Aero

Whisper Aero and Electric Power Systems (EPS) have partnered on a project to “enable regional air mobility at scale”. 

The powertrain developer Whisper is hoping EPS battery technology can produce “cleaner, quieter, more efficient” thrusters for small prop-driven planes. 

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Whisper’s current 80 lbf thrust prototype has proven to work at lower fan pressure ratios, for higher flight speed with lower noise output. The company’s aim is to develop this idea further with EPS batteries. 

Whisper CEO Mark Moore said: “We’re excited to partner with EPS on powertrain solutions for hybrid-electric retrofits and clean sheet designs. Their progress on aerospace-grade, certifiable batteries makes them a pragmatic choice for near-term Part 23 aircraft.”

EPS has worked on aviation-specific for several years, including the past seven years working on NASA’s X-57 Maxwell demonstrator aircraft. The company is in discussions with EASA and the FAA to ensure its future products are certifiable for commercial flight. 

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EPS CEO Nathan Millecam explained the company would likely use the “EPiC 2.0, powering 50% more airtime on a single charge… [to] form the basis for new Whisper-enabled powertrains.”

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“We are excited to partner with Whisper Aero in developing modular and scalable powertrains to electrify aerospace and defence,” he said. 

“Whisper Aero’s ducted fans are an ideal fit for the modular, scalable, and upgradeable power systems we deploy today. Together, we can further expand the range of electric vehicles without having to compromise on air speed or noise pollution.” 

The two companies said the joint Whisper and EPS team have begun the maturation of a retrofit Part 23 concept enabled by Whisper’s 80 lbf eQ250 propulsors, Whisper’s JetFoil™ integration, and EPS EPiC energy storage systems.

Testing of battery arrays and combining with a high voltage bus and a turbogenerator in a flightworthy hybrid-electric demonstrator are next on the schedule for months of testing ahead.