Via
Autopia:
100% electric drive in aviation is nothing new - there are more than a few light & ultralight planes doing that now.
But this is the first hybrid powerplant I've seen.
Autopia reported on a German plane maker that has downsized its engine to a more efficient size for cruising, and added a motor and small battery pack to assist during take-off & climbing.
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The pilot pushes the single power lever forward for takeoff, and both motors are running to provide the equivalent of a 160-hp engine. Once the four-seat airplane is at altitude, the pilot reduces power for cruise and the electric engine is no longer delivering power. This leaves a 115-hp gasoline engine to provide the cruise power, which is more efficient than the 160-hp engine the hybrid system replaces
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(As an aside, I think people often forget that that's one of the major benefits of a hybrid drivetrain: it lets you "undersize" the internal combustion engine, since
peak power demands are met by the ICE + electric. Hybrids are not just about being able to motor around at low speeds on battery power alone.)
It even has regen:
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Like its car cousin, the aircraft engine can also use regenerative braking. When a pilot reduces power for descent, the windmilling propeller is used to recharge the battery pack for the next flight.
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The electric components are an added safety feature as well, giving the pilot additional time to handle an ICE failure (getting it restarted, or finding the best emergency landing spot).
More:
Hybrid Power Comes to Aviation | Autopia | Wired.com