Technology & Innovation
ATR Launches €340M Clean Aviation Initiative for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft
ATR leads a €340 million EU-backed project to develop hybrid-electric regional aircraft reducing CO2 emissions by 30%, targeting 2035 entry.
This article is based on an official press release from ATR.
Regional aircraft manufacturer ATR has officially kicked off the operational phase of its Clean Aviation Call 3 projects following a major meeting in Brussels. The initiative, which includes the HERACLES and DEMETRA projects led by ATR, aims to develop and validate hybrid-electric technologies capable of reducing CO2 emissions by at least 30% compared to current regional aircraft.
The kick-off event brought together consortia members for four interconnected projects, HERACLES, DEMETRA, PHARES, and OSYRYS, marking the start of a five-year collaboration. According to ATR, the total funding for these initiatives amounts to €340 million, comprising €140 million from Clean Aviation and over €200 million in in-kind contributions from industry partners.
The primary objective is to mature low-emission technologies for a new generation of “Ultra-Efficient Regional Aircraft” (UERA), with a targeted entry into service by 2035. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will participate in all phases to streamline the Certification process for these novel propulsion systems.
The initiative is divided into four flagship projects, each addressing a specific aspect of the hybrid-electric ecosystem. ATR serves as the coordinator for two of these major pillars, ensuring alignment between theoretical design and practical flight testing.
HERACLES (Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft Concept for Low EmissionS) is the central architectural project. Coordinated by ATR, it focuses on defining the concept for the future aircraft. Key areas of development include:
The HERACLES consortium includes major industry players such as Airbus, Leonardo, ONERA, Safran Electrical & Power, and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
While HERACLES handles the design concept, DEMETRA (Demonstrator of an Electrified Modern Efficient Transport Regional Aircraft) is tasked with validating these technologies in the air. The project will utilize a certified CS-25 ATR aircraft as a flying testbed to assess the performance of hybrid-electric propulsion and high-energy-density batteries under real-world conditions.
Complementing ATR’s leadership, the PHARES and OSYRYS projects focus on specific subsystems. PHARES, led by Pratt & Whitney Canada, concentrates on the development of the hybrid-electric propulsion system itself. OSYRYS, led by Safran Electrical & Power, addresses the electrical power generation, distribution, and thermal management systems required to support hybridization. The roadmap for these projects is aggressive. ATR aims to fly the hybrid-electric demonstrator by 2030, paving the way for a commercial product entry around 2035. By coordinating both the design (HERACLES) and the demonstration (DEMETRA), ATR intends to bridge the gap between research and industrialization.
“By coordinating both HERACLES and DEMETRA, ATR ensures close alignment between aircraft design and real-world flight validation, a decisive factor in accelerating innovation toward industrialisation.”
, ATR Press Release
The collaboration involves a wide array of European aerospace leaders, including Collins Aerospace, Ratier-Figeac, Liebherr Aerospace, and Thales Avionics, creating a unified supply chain effort to decarbonize regional aviation.
The selection of ATR to lead two of the four Clean Aviation Call 3 flagship projects reinforces the manufacturer’s dominance in the regional turboprop market. While competitors and Startups often propose clean-sheet designs that face immense certification hurdles, ATR’s strategy leverages its existing, certified airframe as a testbed. This evolutionary approach, retrofitting hybrid technology onto a proven platform, may offer a more pragmatic and capital-efficient path to 2035 emissions targets than developing an entirely new aircraft from scratch.
Furthermore, the involvement of EASA from the early stages is a critical differentiator. Certification of high-voltage battery systems and hybrid architectures remains one of the biggest regulatory challenges in aviation. Early regulator engagement suggests that the consortium is prioritizing commercial viability and safety standards alongside technological breakthroughs.
What is Clean Aviation? What is the goal of these projects? Who is funding the initiative? Sources: ATR
ATR and Partners Launch €340 Million Clean Aviation Initiative
Project Breakdown: From Concept to Flight
HERACLES: The Architectural Foundation
DEMETRA: The Flight Demonstrator
PHARES and OSYRYS
Strategic Timeline and Industry Impact
AirPro News Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
Clean Aviation is a European Union public-private Partnerships dedicated to funding and developing disruptive technologies to decarbonize the aviation industry.
The projects aim to demonstrate hybrid-electric flight technologies that can reduce CO2 emissions by at least 30% compared to current regional aircraft, with a target entry into service by 2035.
The total commitment is €340 million, split between €140 million in Clean Aviation funding and €200 million in industry contributions.
Photo Credit: ATR