Is there any progress being made for an all-electric commercial aircraft? Norway wants all of their domestic flights to use all-electric aircraft by 2040.
https://www.lifeinnorway.net/norway-wan ... c-flights/
Electric cars, trucks, and trains are a walk in the park compared to developing an all-electric airliner, and I haven't heard of any progress or even studies of all-electric aircraft. Seems Norway's goal would be achievable sometime past 2040.
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- GalaxyFlyer
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Re: Progress of All-Electric Commercial Aircraft
There’s serious speed bumps in this idea, like the limited energy density of any batteries, now or foreseen. Jet A is 15 times denser than the best batteries. Then, there’s the problem of efficiency-an petroleum powered plane gets lighter and more efficient as it flies, an electric plane remains at its TOGW throughout the flight and landing making for some structural design compromises. Wings, landing gear, etc will have to operate at take-off weights. There will have to be major breakthroughs for this to come to fruition.
Maybe they can string wires overhead on major routes.
GF
Maybe they can string wires overhead on major routes.
GF
Re: Progress of All-Electric Commercial Aircraft
I think many of the solutions being explored are for short-haul, where it's possible to deal with shorter range. Unless there's a step-change in Wh/kg in the battery space, hydrocarbon fuels will continue to rule.
Re: Progress of All-Electric Commercial Aircraft
af773atmsp wrote:I haven't heard of any progress or even studies of all-electric aircraft.
I have.
There's the E-Fan by Airbus:
Soon to be developed the E-Fan X Hybrid.
Pipistrel Alpha Electro:
E-Genius:
I would also consider person-carrying UAV's like the Vahana to be an electrical aircraft:
This is airbus timeline of electric flight and they are particularly partnering with Siemens (for electric motors) and Rolls-Royce (for combustion, i. e. hybrids).
Find out more: http://airbus-xo.com/e-fan-x-goal-elect ... continues/
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- Starlionblue
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Re: Progress of All-Electric Commercial Aircraft
Due to energy density, aircraft will probably be the last bastion of fossil fuels, apart from rockets. Unless of course energy density in batteries increases by more than an order of magnitude in the foreseeable future. But even then you're probably better off electrifying everything else before aircraft.
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- frmrCapCadet
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Re: Progress of All-Electric Commercial Aircraft
Automotive IC engines are becoming incredibly light, incredibly reliable, and incredibly powerful. Such a motor/generator along with enough battery will provide safety margins and some of the power for the flight itself. As batteries improve their energy density they will take over more and more. At some point the IC motor may become superfluous.
Re: Progress of All-Electric Commercial Aircraft
Starlionblue wrote:Due to energy density, aircraft will probably be the last bastion of fossil fuels, apart from rockets. Unless of course energy density in batteries increases by more than an order of magnitude in the foreseeable future. But even then you're probably better off electrifying everything else before aircraft.
I would assume that we could cover the needs of aviation fairly easily with renewable bio-fuels. All it needs for that is to reduce the consumption of hydrocarbons (fossile or renewable) in most other industries. According to the chart of the EIA (slide 5, page 131), aviation is just a small part of overall fuel consumption. Doubling biofuel production -easily doable- while electrifying the majority of road transport (renewable or nuclear) could make even non-electric aviation sustainable. One other industry that is difficult to electrify would be shipping, though. An option for both might be the conversion of electricity & water to hydrogen, to be used in combustion or fuel cells, the latter being more likely IMO.
https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/pdf/transportation.pdf
An important benefit of electric (STOL) short haul planes would be the reduced noise emissions. Instead of focusing air traffic at large airports far away from population centers we might see regional traffic and small airports expand again. It might not be the best solution to get you across the atlantic but it could get you from Birmingham to London, or even across London, to catch your long-haul flight at Heathrow. Shuttle service LCY-LHR, anyone?
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