The E-Fan, engineered by Airbus Group, is propelled by two 30-kilowatt electric motors, themselves powered by a series of lithium-ion batteries fitted into the plane’s wings (a 6 kW electric motor in the main wheel gives it some extra thrust on the ground). ”It’s a very different way of flying,” said Jean Botti, chief technical and innovation officer at Airbus Group, told ClimateWire, “absolutely no noise, no emissions.”..
Right now, the E-Fan can only remain in the air for an hour, which means that range anxiety — which accompanies electric vehicles of all sorts — is bound to be a concern... To that effect, the E-Fan is equipped with a backup battery and a parachute.
Airbus Group’s ultimate goal is to make a 70- to 80-person hybrid-electric commuter jet with three hours of range in the 2050 time frame... These advances are steppingstones toward realizing Flight Path 2050, the European Union’s aggressive goal to reduce the aviation sector’s nitrous oxide emissions by 90 percent, noise pollution by 65 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by 75 percent by 2050.
More information at the link, where there is a video of the manufacturing and first flight of the aircraft.
