We Fly: Bristell B23 Energic

Innovative electric airplane cruises with wired wings.

Max Trescott

Monday, September 15, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A ramp view of the Bristell B23 Energic. [Courtesy: Christopher Michel]

Key Takeaways:

The Bristell B23 Energic, developed by BRM Aero and H55, marks a significant step in electric aviation with its 48 kWh lithium-ion battery system, primarily targeting the flight trainer market.
The aircraft offers an hour of flight endurance plus a 10-minute reserve (EASA standards), but current FAA regulations necessitate a larger battery for the U.S. market by 2027 to meet stricter reserve requirements, while boasting significantly lower operating costs ($8-9/hour) and consistent power output.
The author's flight experience highlighted the B23 Energic's ease of use and seamless operation, underscoring electric propulsion's potential as an "enabling technology," further reinforced by H55's broader partnerships to electrify various other aircraft types.

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In 2011, I glimpsed the future, when I first saw an electric airplane fly at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Fourteen years later, I’ve finally flown an electric airplane for the first time. It’s the Bristell B23 Energic, which is now touring in the U.S. giving demonstration flights.

The airplane that flew at AirVenture was a twin-engine, experimental Lazair ultralight designed by Dale Kramer. Kramer removed the two gas engines and replaced them with electric motors. He opened the wings to show me that he had loaded them with perhaps a hundred or more lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries that were connected together to power the two electric motors.