London and Paris are moving towards banning gasoline automobiles within their inner city limits. Therefore it’s a matter of time before they gaze into the sky and fret over emissions from jet air fuel. Moreover, their citizens living under flight paths are increasingly vociferous about noisy jet plane engines. Stories abound of electric airplanes finally coming of age. But how soon will this happen?
Signs of Electric Airplanes Finally Coming of Age in Paris
That’s because it could just be the defining moment of electric airplanes finally coming of age after a long lead in. We base this on the prototype Eviation electric aircraft on show there from 17 June to Sunday 23 June, 2019. The aircraft maker says their Alice will carry nine passengers for up to 650 miles at 10,000ft at 276mph. This is not to be sniffed at, let alone sneezed over.
You Build a Craft around Your Propulsion System
So says Eviation’s chief executive Omer Bar-Yohay glancing over his shoulder at his unconventional aircraft. It boasts a rear-facing propeller in the tail, plus two counter-rotating ones on the wingtips to counter drag. The body is also unstylishly flat to increase lift. The machine takes its power from pouch lithium polymer batteries by the South Korean Kokam Co Company.
“This plane looks like this not because we wanted to build a cool plane, but because it is electric,” says Omer Bar-Yohay. “You build a craft around your propulsion system. Electric means we can have lightweight motors; it allows us to open up the design space. We’re not an environmentalist company, the reason we’re doing this is because it makes business sense.”
Is the Age of Green Airborne Energy Upon Us?
We love the idea of electric airplanes finally coming of age because they make business sense. The age of green airborne energy could finally be upon us, as we watch over the battery space.
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Preview Image: Paris Air Show 2019 Alice Prototype
