Electra and Safran agree to develop and produce the TG600 turbogenerator that will power the EL9

Electra/EL9

Electra and Safran signed a development and production agreement for the TG600, a 600 kW turbogenerator that will make electricity for the EL9's electric motors, with an initial order for 250 units. Safran bench-tested the first flight-ready unit in July 2026; the EL9's first flight is expected in late 2027 or early 2028 and service entry in 2030.

• A turbogenerator is a small gas turbine spinning generators; here it charges batteries and feeds the motors, so the plane needs no long recharge stops.
• The TG600 is derived from Safran's Arrano helicopter engine and uses two Safran GENeUS electric generators.
• The bench test ran at Safran Helicopter Engines' site in Bordes, France.
• Safran called it the official launch of its turbogenerator business; production scales with EL9 demand beyond the first 250.