Siemens-FlyEco Magnus eFusion

Lore & Background

The Magnus eFusion featured a cantilever low-wing, a two-seat side-by-side enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear, and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft was made from composites. Its power train consisted of a Siemens SP55D electric motor intended to be powered by batteries for take-off and landing, while a FlyEco three-cylinder diesel engine, derived from a Smart Car engine with common rail injection and electronic controls, was intended to recharge the batteries in flight for extended range.

The prototype first flew on 11 April 2018 in Hungary. On 31 May 2018, the prototype crashed in Hungary while on a training flight, killing its two occupants. The accident investigation concluded that the crash was most likely due to pilot error in causing a high bank-angle stall close to the ground.

Reader's Guide

The Siemens-FlyEco Magnus eFusion represents an early attempt at a hybrid diesel-electric aircraft intended for series production. Its design combined a Siemens electric motor for take-off and landing with a diesel engine for in-flight battery recharging, aiming to extend range beyond pure electric aircraft of the time. The prototype's crash shortly after its first flight, attributed to pilot error, ended the program before production could begin. The aircraft remains notable as a German hybrid design introduced at a major aviation show, highlighting the experimental phase of hybrid-electric aviation in the late 2010s.