The concept of hybrid power, familiar in cars, may soon be soaring into the skies, driving a new era of jet airliners. NASA, in partnership with GE Aerospace, is developing a cutting-edge hybrid-electric jet engine that uses both traditional fuel and electric power to significantly reduce fuel consumption.

This advanced engine design incorporates electric components that assist the fuel-burning core. Electric motors generate power, which is then fed back into the engine, reducing the overall fuel needed to operate. By supplementing fuel combustion with electricity, this innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize air travel, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly.

This work is part of NASA’s Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) project, which aims to demonstrate the hybrid jet engine concept by 2028, with the goal of having it operational in airliners by the 2030s. This would mark a significant leap forward in jet engine technology.

The engine, described as a “mild hybrid-electric” system, represents a breakthrough in aviation. It uses electric machines that function both as motors and generators, making it the first of its kind for narrow-body airliners. “This will be the first mild hybrid-electric engine and could lead to the first production engine for narrow-body airliners that’s hybrid electric,” said Anthony Nerone, who leads the HyTEC project at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “It really opens the door for more sustainable aviation even beyond the 2030s.”

The hybrid-electric engine, as envisioned by NASA and GE Aerospace, will feature a smaller core than traditional jet engines. Despite its reduced size, the core will produce the same level of thrust as today’s single-aisle aircraft engines while also cutting fuel burn and emissions by 5% to 10%.

The GE Aerospace Passport engine is being modified with hybrid-electric components to prepare for testing. While today’s jet engines are not truly hybrid-electric—mainly using electric power for onboard systems like lighting and entertainment—the new design aims to extend electric power directly to the engine itself.

The challenge, according to Nerone, lies in determining the optimal phases of flight to use the electric motors. “Later this year, we are doing some testing with GE Aerospace to research which phases of flight we can get the most fuel savings,” he said.

Electric motor-generators will be embedded within the engine to enhance performance. These systems can operate independently of energy storage solutions, such as batteries, which could accelerate the deployment of hybrid-electric technology in commercial aviation, even before battery technology fully matures.

Arjan Hegeman, GE Aerospace’s general manager for future flight technologies, emphasized the importance of the project, stating, “Together with NASA, GE Aerospace is doing critical research and development that could help make hybrid-electric commercial flight possible.”

The technologies being developed through HyTEC are closely aligned with GE Aerospace’s efforts under the CFM International Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program. CFM, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, is advancing hybrid-electric systems and other innovations aimed at reducing the aviation industry’s environmental impact. CFM RISE, which launched in 2021, focuses on creating engines compatible with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

As part of NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program, HyTEC is central to the Sustainable Flight National Partnership, which collaborates with industry, government, and academic partners to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in aviation by 2050. This partnership is key to realizing the U.S. goal of a greener, more sustainable aviation industry.

By Impact Lab