HS Alliance
OKYO – The bold new initiative of Denso Corp. in the field of air mobility rolls for takeoff with a new engine developed for a funky and futuristic all-electric jet plane.
The engine is the first result of an alliance forged in 2019 between the Japanese supplier and US aerospace giant Honeywell International to design, develop and produce electric air propulsion systems.
The engine will be integrated into the Lilium Jet, an all-electric vertical take-off and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft. The T-shaped craft, with long wings at the rear, short wings at the front and a nacelle-shaped fuselage, is being developed by Lilium, a German sustainable airline company.
Denso’s drive to take off is part of the Toyota Group supplier’s bid to diversify its core automotive business and achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. The company has expanded into agriculture, semi -drivers and software.
Denso is banking on urban air mobility to become a reality as part of what the company has called the “once in a century” disruption taking place in the transportation industry. Denso believes that flying taxis and personal airplane hops will reduce travel time and urban congestion while improving convenience and comfort.
He says eVTOLs hold the most promise and sometimes calls them “flying cars”.
“The co-development of the electric motor solidifies Denso’s successful entry into the aerospace industry, giving us the opportunity to increase vehicle electrification not only on land, but also in the sky,” said Jiro Ebihara. , Head of Denso’s Electrification Systems Business Group. a recent press release.
“It supports our efforts to create a more efficient and sustainable future.”
The electric motor developed for Lilium consists of a rotor and a stator, weighing about 9 pounds and having an output of 100 kilowatts, Denso said. Engineers prioritized a compact and lightweight design for use in aircraft with zero operating emissions.
Denso and Honeywell have been working with Lilium on the technology for nearly two years.
Honeywell Aerospace, a unit of Honeywell International, develops electronic components, engines and mechanical systems for commercial, defense and space aircraft.
The alliance combines Denso’s mass production expertise with Honeywell’s aerospace portfolio, including electric flight control, avionics and actuation systems.
Denso intends to reduce the size and weight of air mobility inverters by using a double-sided air-cooling structure, which dissipates heat from the semiconductor to both sides. This improves cooling, reduces size and increases power output.
Denso predicts that flying cars will weigh about the same as land cars. But the percentage of this total weight occupied by motors, inverters and batteries varies considerably. Propulsion represents about 18% of the total weight of a flying car, compared to 2.5% for an ordinary car.