Electric planes taking off: From 1-seater to 100-plus passenger planes, with zero emissions

ELECTRIC AIR TAXIS: There are many contenders in the race to produce the first commercial flying taxis, or an urban people mover by air. The electric planes are gaining altitude: US, European and Asian contenders like Wright Electric, Vertical Aerospace, Volocopter, Lilium, Pipistrel and SkyDrive, as well as Boeing, Airbus and Nasa are in a race alongside billion-dollar tech giants like Uber to produce the first air taxis.

FLY LIKE A PLANE, LAND LIKE A CHOPPER: Several companies are vying to develop electric planes, a.k.a. air taxis, in hopes of offering a fuel-free and emissions-free flight alternative. They may not be mainstream yet, but they may be getting ready to take off. Government entities and private companies are involved in developing and deploying zero-emissions aviation. On September 22, 2021, Britain’s Vertical Aerospace Group Ltd. announced an outline deal to provide Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corp. with 200 electric vertical takeoff and landing craft , a day after revealing accords with Brazil’s biggest airline and Bristow Group Inc, the world’s No. 1 helicopter operator.

MAGIC NUMBER: There’s a magic number that will make electric flight viable and compelling, say industry experts. The “cross-over point” for batteries to beat kerosene is ~400 Wh/kg energy density rating. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology is already well optimised and is over 50 years old. The best lithium-based Li-ion battery technology today has achieved only 150-200 Wh/kg for LCO (Lithium Cobalt Oxide) and 150-220 Wh/kg for NMC (Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide).

LITHIUM-SULPHUR BATTERY: Ground-breaking research at Stanford University published on October 22, 2021 in the 'Journal of American Chemical Society' shows that lithium-sulphur (Li-S) cells can now achieve 470Wh/kg in a lab setting, with 500Wh/kg expected by this year (2021). It's still in a “pre-commercial” stage, but promises a dramatic leap in energy density. Flightglobal.com reported that Li-S has a theoretical energy density limit of 2,700Wh/kg. Given the interest in battery technologies, a 400 Wh/kg with high cycle life produced at scale is probably not that far on a commercial scale. This could unleash a revolution not just in aviation, but multiple sectors, such as transport, energy and consumer electronics.

NASA PROJECT: On October 1, 2021, Techcrunch reported that NASA awarded $253M to two US companies developing electric propulsion tech for aircraft. The chosen companies are tasked to develop electric propulsion technologies for aircraft, with the aim of introducing this tech to US aviation fleets by 2035. The two firms, GE Aviation and MagniX, will conduct their work over the next five years — including ground and flight test demonstrations, as well as collaborations with other NASA projects focused on electric propulsion, data analysis and flight test instrumentation.

X-57 PLANE: Nasa is also developing its own electric aircraft. On May 10, 2021, Nasa reported that the propellers on its X-57 Maxwell aircraft spun for the first time under electric power for NASA engineers. The new XM3 controller spins the X-57 cruise motor. The principal goals of the X-57 Project are to share the X-57 design & airworthiness process with regulators and standards organisations.

PASSENGER E-PLANE? This concept all-electric plane, called Wright, is designed to carry more than 100 passengers. Its proponent, Wright Electric, says it may be “available within six years”, thus crunching the timeline for the introduction of a non-kerosene powered commercial airliners. The US startup plans to retrofit electric motors into a BAe 146 regional aircraft originally manufactured by BAE Systems, replacing its four jet engines and transforming it into a zero-emissions model.

186-SEATER E-PLANE: Wright Electric, a Los Angeles-based manufacturer, was founded in 2016. It ultimately aims to introduce its clean-paper Wright 1 design — a 186-seater with an 1,280-kilometre range — in 2030. Wright is a long-time partner of discount airline EasyJet plc, and the UK carrier will provide an operator’s perspective on requirements for the model. Mexican airline Viva Aerobus is also involved in the project.

ECO-FRIENDLY FLYING MACHINE: In March 2019, the Academy of Technical Training (ATT) has confirmed that private individuals, as young as 14 years old, can start securing a licence to fly an electric-powered plane in October in the UAE. Students will be able to operate the Alpha Electro by Pipistrel, a Dh400,000 plane ($108,000) with airframe made in Slovenia but it is assembled in the UAE. It can fly at more than 13,000 feet for an hour and 30 minutes, and reach a cruising speed of 180 km/h, using two lithium batteries. One of the batteries is capable of providing additional power for 30 minutes, which can be used in case of emergency.

PIONEERING FLIGHT: On November 4, 2021, Gary Freedman made a pioneering 40-minute solo flight in a small two-seater Pipistrel Alpha Electro plane to fly between New Zealand's two main islands. The aircraft weighs less than 400 kilograms (880 pounds) and is much quieter. For the 78 kilometer (48 mile) trip, Freedman flew it at just 1,000 feet (305 meters) above sea level and at the relatively slow speed of 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph) in order to preserve its charge. The flight was aimed at drawing attention to the possibilities of greener flying and timed to coincide with the opening of a pivotal UN climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

FLYING TAXI: In June 2021, US company Archer Aviation unveiled its first electric flying taxi "Maker" in a Tesla-style debut as an increasing number of investors and aviation companies pile into the hot but yet-to-be-approved urban air mobility space. Archer expects Maker's commercial launch in 2024 in Los Angeles and Miami.

GROWING INTEREST: Interest in zero-emission aircraft that take off and land like helicopters but fly like planes is growing as aerospace companies look for new markets and face pressure to help decarbonise their industry though the battery-operated vehicles.

LILIUM: The German drone startup Lilium, based in Munich, is an all-electric flying taxi start-up. The company has demonstrated its first all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) passenger jet. In 2019, it was reported to have sought safety approval in Europe and the US. A model aircraft, which achieved a first for a jet in 2017 when a prototype successfully transitioned between hover mode and horizontal flight, will have a 300-kilometre range. A picture from Munich startup Lilium shows its five-seater prototype in Munich.

LILIUM: The German drone startup Lilium, based in Munich, aims to be an all-electric flying taxi maker. The company has demonstrated its first all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) passenger jet. In 2019, it was reported to have sought safety approval in Europe and the US. A model aircraft, which achieved a first for a jet in 2017 when a prototype successfully transitioned between hover mode and horizontal flight, will have a 300-kilometre range. Lilium has raised $100 million to fund development work, including $90 million secured in 2017, though further financing will be required to go to full-scale production, the company said in 2019. Going forward, Gaining regulatory and public acceptance in the US is seen as a key step for Lilium, whose VTOL aircraft is designed to fly autonomously.

AIRBUS E-FAN: On July 10, 2015, French pilot Didier Esteyne, left, crossed the Channel with his Airbus E-Fan prototype for the first time. Airbus’ E-fan took its maiden voyage in March 2014, and has taken off 100 times since. Airbus aims to put the two-seater on the market, targeting sales at training facilities for entry-level pilots. The aircraft is powered by two electric motors with a collective power of 60kW. Two ducted fans enhance the static thrust, reduce the perceived noise and improve the safety on the ground. The electric motors of the aircraft are powered by 250V lithium-ion polymer batteries manufactured by KOKAM.

CRICRI: Hours before the Airbus E-Fan flight, on July 10, 2015, pilot Hugues Duval flew from Dover, England, to Calais on a two-engine, one-seat Cricri plane, which weighs about 100 kilograms (220 pounds). He reached 150 kilometres (90 miles) an hour on his 52-kilometre (31-mile) journey. According to Electravia, the firm who designed the Cri-Cri’s 35-horsepower motors and custom propellers, the plane was only using 75% of its total power when it broke the speed record.

DUBAI DEBUT: The White Lightning, an all-electric racing plane, made a debut at the 2019 Dubai Airshow. The all-electric racing sports aircraft is billed as a "world first". The European aerospace giant Airbus is trailblazing the way for electric vehicles to take flight, with the Airbus Air Race E series. The European planemaker has backed the e-racing tournament, in which the White Lightning team are competing. Airbus' support for the e-race boosts its green aerospace tech credentials.

ELECTRIC ROLLS ROYCE PLANE: In December 2019, Rolls-Royce’s ambitions to build the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft have taken an important step forward with the unveiling of the plane at Gloucestershire Airport. The company announced then it will integrate the ground-breaking electrical propulsion system to enable the zero-emissions plane to make a run for the record books with a target speed of 300+ mph (480+ kph) in late “Spring 2020”. The aircraft, called ACCEL, will have the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft, providing enough energy to fuel 250 homes or fly 200 miles (London to Paris) on a single charge.

FLYING LIKE A PLANE, LANDING LIKE A CHOPPER: A rendering of Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 aircraft is seen. Vertical Aerospace, founded in 2016, is a British aerospace manufacturer based in Bristol, England that designs and builds zero carbon, vertical take-off and landing electrically powered aircraft. It has 130 employees at present, according to latest reports. Its creators claim the electric aircraft has a safety factor that's 100 times higher than current helicopters, while making emissions-free travel a reality.

VTOL: Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 electric aircraft has a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) capability. PIONEER: Vertical Aerospace (VA) is pioneering electric aviation. The company was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick. On October 27, 2021, VA announced a $205 million in additional funding led by Mudrick Capital, which will support certification and full production ramp up through to expected significant revenue generation in 2024.

AIR TAXI: An array of 18 helicopter-style rotors powered by batteries heave the German-made "flying taxi" VoloCity into the sky, with the company saying it can carry two passengers with hand luggage up to 35km, at speeds of up to 110km/h. Its developer Volocopter announced on September 9, 2019, that it had raised €50 million ($55.1 million, Dh202.4 million) from investors including automaker Geely. The new funds will be used towards bringing the VoloCity aircraft to commercial launch within the next three years, Volocopter said in a statement then. The Financial Times reported that Geely’s stake in Volocopter will amount to around 10 per cent of the firm.

SOLAR PLANE: In July 2015, the solar-powered plane Solar Impulse, travelled around the world in stages, with a 5-day journey from Japan to Hawaii. Circumnavigating the globe without any fuel wasn't the only record Solar Impulse 2 broke. The longest leg, an 5,545-mile flight from Japan to Hawaii, lasted some 118 hours and saw one pilot (Borschberg) break the world record for longest uninterrupted solo flight in terms of duration.