With all the buzz electric vehicles are making around the world we thought we’d take a
look at some fantastic electric aircraft! Would you fly in an all-electric aircraft?
I'm Glenn. Let’s check out some of the coolest electric aircraft on the market!
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Number Fifteen
Aiming to build the first FAA-certified all-electric aircraft to serve the pilot training market
Denver based Bye Aerospace flew its first all-electric test flight in 2018.
Equipped with 90-kilowatt Siemens electric motors that deliver speeds up to 100 miles
per hour, the eFlyer4 followed up with a successful low-power test flight early this year.
Able to carry 450 pounds of passenger payload for up to three hours, these electric eFlyers
cost about three dollars an hour in fuel to fly compared to the typical fifty dollars
an hour.
The company is aiming to have certification by the end of 2021.
Number Fourteen
This plane, made by Yuneec, a company that started out making remote-controlled aircraft,
is one of the most famous electric planes to come to the market. They were able to
completely design and build a full-sized light electric plane for easy mass production.
It has now been established and proven to be one of the best ultralight single-seater
electric planes to date. Being electric, and having a max speed of 80 miles per hour,
it's a great starter for new pilots. Even with a quick stop after the battery has been
drained it only takes a little under three hours for a recharge.
Number Thirteen
This sleek aircraft is the brainchild of Israel based company Eviation Aircraft. Named the
Eviation Alice, the company sets to redefine regional transport through the means of their
all-electric aircraft.
It has a flight range of around 650 to 750 miles thanks to its three 260 kilowatt motors,
each producing about 350 horsepower. It has a cruise speed of 300 miles per hour with
a flight ceiling of 30,000 feet. It has space up front for two pilots as well as room for
up to 9 passengers.
The aircraft is expected to get full certification in 2022 as well as be available for purchase
the same year.
Number Twelve
This older styled electric plane can really pack a punch, so don't let its design fool
you. It's one of the first electric planes to ever cross the English Channel. Surprisingly
enough, the pilot did not even have clearance to make the flight, and it was ordered to
stop at takeoff. Obviously, he didn't listen and flew anyways.
Even though it's one of the smallest electric planes they were still able to fit two 25
horsepower electric motors in the aircraft that's no bigger than a small-sized car.
We don't think he'll be making this fly again any time soon, but sometimes you just can't
follow the rules, and you have to take that leap not knowing the consequences.
Number Eleven
When looking at this electric aircraft, we turn toward the country of Portugal. They
developed this brilliant idea for an ultralight aircraft with more features than most sports
cars. This awesome little ultralight is primarily made of epoxy resin and carbon fiber to minimalize
the weight.
The motors are only used during takeoff, to achieve enough thrust for lift off the
ground; after this, they return back to their folded position so the aircraft can remain
as aerodynamic as possible. This allows the aircraft to glide at the proper altitude
for as long as the pilot wishes
Number Ten
Everyone get ready for this one, it may look like they put it together backwards,
but this is actually one of the fastest electric planes ever to be built. In 2012 it reached speeds of over
200 miles per hour, and it had been noted that the pilot was not even giving it full
throttle.
They use a customized 258 horsepower, liquid-cooled, DC brushless electric motor that can produce
a staggering 400 foot-pounds of torque.
Number Nine
The aircraft giant Pipistrel is always making waves, or air currents maybe? Either way,
they released their ALPHA aircraft in an electric version called the ALPHA Electro.
It’s powered by a 60 kilowatt motor that makes about 80 horsepower. It has enough battery
to keep it airborne for about an hour with a 20-minute reserve, just in case. The batteries
can be recharged in about 45 minutes, but if you have some spares already charged up,
it only takes 5 minutes to swap them out!
It has a cruise speed around 100 miles per hour, and due to its design its capable of
short landings and short takeoffs. This little two-seater seems like the perfect training
plane!
Number Eight
AutoFlightX based near Munich, Germany, unveiled its V600 prototype at the AERO Friedrichshafen
2019 Aviation Trade Show. The all-electric aircraft has two sets of wings, six propellers
for lift, a pusher propeller for forward flight, and a tricycle landing gear.
The completed vehicle can carry three to five people and can make changes to meet E.A.S.A.
certification requirements.
I'm Allie, and it's Minds Eye Trivia time. By looking at just these images, do you know
what this is and where it's from?
Leave the correct answer or your best guess in the comment section below.
Number Seven
Up next is this awesome looking two-person, electric sailplane. The Taurus g2 is the first
electric sailplane this aircraft manufacturer has ever made.
It features a 40-kilowatt motor that pushes out about 54 horsepower and a lithium-ion
battery pack that lets it climb to nearly 6,500 feet in the sky. It also has a custom
solar-powered trailer that can charge the entire plane's battery in just five hours.
Even if you run out of power in the air, the Taurus G2 can easily glide back down to a
landing.
The goal was to improve on their technological improvements by making a plane that can climb faster and
has a shorter takeoff compared to any of their non-electric planes.
Number Six
This spacecraft looking thing is as real as you or me, but it definitely feels like something
from the future. This is the Airbus A3 Vahana, an all-electric aircraft capable of vertical
take-off and landing.
If that’s not cool enough for you, well how about the fact that there’s only room
for one person and there are zero flight controls? Yeah, this thing is pilot-less. It’s made
to be like an uber for the air and is remote-controlled from a different location.
This future-taxi has cruise speeds to rival even New York taxi drivers able to fly at
120 miles per hour with a range of 31 miles. This one might be a little harder to flag
down though.
Number Five
The Sunseeker family of gliders has roots in the solar game dating back over 30 years
ago, so when it comes to solar-powered electric flying machines, they have some of the most experience
out there.
The Sunseeker duo was a unique design, made by one of the engineers at the company who
thought it should be a two-seater instead of just one.
It has a 72-foot wingspan with solar panels placed perfectly on the entire surface as well as
the tail. It also features a sliding canopy that provides the best in-flight views in any
class, swiveling tablet support for the next-generation avionics, and maps running on an iPad or
Android device.
Number Four
This one is kind of a crazy design, so bear with us. To get this baby off the ground,
it uses you, the pilot, jogging off a hill almost as a leap of faith.
Once airborne you tuck your feet up and allow the tiny motor to help keep you at gliding
altitude. When it’s time to land, don’t put your feet out! It’s got wheels to assist
with a gentle descent onto the undercarriage.
Another impressive feature is the electric propulsion kit which allows for a stronger and more
sustained glide. This design is almost a hang glider and electric plane combined into one
making for an exciting and new idea for a micro lift glider.
Number Three
NASA themselves have come up with the design of our next plane. The X-57 Maxwell will be
the first all-electric X-plane, with an X-plane being an experimental aircraft. The idea behind
the aircraft is to demonstrate the benefits that distributed electric propulsion may have
for the future of aviation.
NASA has taken a twin-engine Tecnam P2006T and replaced the wings with a new set of wings
with electric propellers contained within. They went through 4 different designs before
settling on the final version with 7 propellers on each side. The smaller 12 engines that
lay along the wing are turned off once the plane has achieved the planned cruising altitude.
Testing is set to be finished sometime in 2020.
Number Two
This has earned a place on our list because of the sheer ingenuity that went into this
plane. This is the first of two aircraft planned by the Switzerland based group, Solar
Impulse.
It has a wingspan of a major airliner. To be exact, it's 206 feet. But it's honeycomb
shaped carbon-fiber-reinforced structure keeps the weight down to that of a small
car.
The top of the entire plane is covered in lightweight solar panels while the bulk of
the weight comes from the batteries they keep charged. The low weight and its sleek
design mean it can get by on four 7.35-kilowatt motors
It flies at an average speed of 45 miles per hour, and it achieved the world’s first
manned 26-hour solar-powered flight.
Number One
This pick had to make it in our number one spot. It's actually the most advanced electric
glider that money can buy.
It has an insane wingspan of 98 feet allowing it to effortlessly glide any which way it
wants.
The impressive engineering that went behind this glider takes the cake for sure. It comes with
a 42 kilowatt brushless electric motor, that was made especially for the glider, and it
pushes out around 30 horsepower.
The design and manufacturing process of each component has been thoroughly assessed by
German aviation authorities. In fact, it's the world's first electric aircraft ever
to receive a certification by the Aviation Authority.
Hi everyone and thank you for watching! I'm Chandni with Minds Eye Design. We'd love to
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