Search Results for: electric

General Electric, whose DNA extends back to Thomas Edison, started its life as a builder of generators and electrical equipment. It’s more than an electric technology company now, but shoving around electrons is still a core interest. I thought of that earlier this week during GE’s press briefing at NBAA when a company exec mentioned, […]

It’s not easy being me. No sooner do I get my pants unsnagged from one electric airplane idea than another one comes along literally days later. How’s a guy supposed to keep up? Mark this date on your calendar: 2022. That seems to be when the promised magic of electric airplanes will come together and, […]

Zunum Aero, a startup based in Seattle that plans to build a family of hybrid-to-electric regional aircraft, released details of its initial design on Thursday. The aircraft, the company said, will seat up to 12 passengers, and will be ready for flight tests in 2019 and first deliveries in 2022. The company also announced the […]

Lilium, a start-up aviation company based in Munich, announced on Thursday they have raised $90 million in investment to develop the five-seat Lilium aircraft. The funding, which brings the total capital raised to $100 million, will enable the company to grow its staff to more than 70 and work toward a first manned flight in […]

Airbus is in the electric airplane business for at least the medium term and the next few years could see the first flight of a BAE 146 regional jet converted to fly on electric power. Ken McKenzie, senior VP of strategy and corporate development for Airbus, said what started with a quirky rear-engine ducted fan […]

Airbus believes electric aircraft, including airliners, are the future and it’s taking a leadership role in their development. Ken McKenzie, the company’s senior VP of strategy and corporate development, discussed what that future might look at in an interview at AirVenture 2017. Duration: 6:20 File Size: 6.3 MB download here

Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. plans to build a four-seat version of its all-electric airplane, the company announced at EAA AirVenture this week. The Sun Flyer 4 will have a payload of 800 pounds for pilot and passengers, the company said. “The four-seat airplane will have operating costs five times lower than costs associated with similar […]

Israeli startup EViation is planning a clean-slate aircraft design to carry six to nine passengers, plus crew, on legs up to 600 miles in length, with exclusively electric propulsion. The three-motor design puts one tractor-prop on each wingtip, with one pusher on the tail. EViation’s engineers hope locating propellers on each wingtip will reduce induced […]

While electric aircraft have gained press notice, they’ve lagged in market penetration, partly because buyers don’t fully understand the potential for electric aircraft. “I think it all comes down to people’s expectations. The most straightforward form of an electric airplane is one powered by batteries and batteries will always be a factor on the airplane, […]

Wright Electric, a San Los Obispo-based startup, aims to make every short commercial flight electric within 20 years by building what co-founder Jeff Engler calls their “electric 737.” Wright’s vision is a 150-seat, short-haul aircraft capable of serving routes under 300 miles. Engler told attendees at the Sustainable Aviation Symposium that Wright was inspired to […]