Sigma Air Mobility partners with VoltAero on hybrid-electric aircraft development

Sigma CEO Christophe Lapierre hinted that his company would order VoltAero aircraft but declined to provide specific figures during a briefing on Wednesday. "I wouldn't discuss numbers at this stage. We are defining networks and identifying requirements," he said.

"What we are committing to now is the pilot project," he added. "We want to validate the ecosystem and our operation in the first pilot project with the aircraft. That's the milestone we have targeted for 2026. There are several markets that we're unifying and checking what fleet size we would need."

Jean Botti, CEO and chief technology officer of VoltAero, stated that the company has received orders for 32 of the Cassio 330 aircraft but emphasized that achieving certification in 2026 remains his primary focus.

The VoltAero product family aims to carve out a unique market niche with aircraft capable of flying up to 800 nautical miles, surpassing distances envisioned by standard urban air mobility competitors.

"We're not even in competition with eVTOLs. I don't want to do the last mile. I want to go 800 miles [using my aircraft]," Botti told reporters at Farnborough Airshow. "We're already halfway to certification for the Cassio 330."

Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki supports the VoltAero project by contributing dual-use gasoline-hydrogen engine technology from its successful motorcycle business to power the Cassio fleet. “We hope to provide new value to the air industry,” said Kawasaki CEO Hiroshi Ito.