Air Race E has today announced Kasaero GmbH as an Official Engineering Partner to lead the development of the next generation of high-performance electric racing airplanes.
Kasaero has committed to working alongside Air Race E in the designing and building of a fleet of eight cutting-edge all-electric racing aircraft which will form the foundation of the championship’s one-make Performance Class.
The German company will utilise its extensive experience in producing high-performance aircraft and aircraft components to create a versatile basis which competing teams can then develop and optimise.
Unlike Air Race E’s Open Class, the Performance Class will feature planes powered by a standard electric powertrain producing 100kw output – meaning competitors will focus on extracting maximum potential from a powertrain and optimizing sub-systems.
Some modifications and enhancements will be allowed in this category to continue Air Race E’s mission of accelerating innovation and showcasing new technologies in aerospace electrification, playing into Kasaero’s strengths as an industry leader.
The Stuttgart-based company, founded in 2008 by Karl Käser, is widely respected for its design and manufacturing expertise while it has already established an impressive portfolio of innovative electric aviation projects.
Kasaero, which draws top talent from the prestigious University of Stuttgart Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB) and has already been involved in projects like the e-Genius, will initially focus on conceptualising and designing the Performance Class aircraft before moving on to prefabrication in due course.
Jeff Zaltman, CEO of Air Race E, said: “Kasaero is a leading light in the aerospace design and manufacturing sector and we are thrilled to welcome the company into the Air Race E family.
“The development of new racing aircraft is in full swing and Kasaero will be a huge asset in this regard – it will be exciting to see how their expertise will further enhance our ever-growing pool of technological talent. This collaboration is an important and exciting step in our series’ development.”