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 in partnership by BRM Aero and H55, represents a significant step for practical electric aviation, offering lower operating costs (estimated $8-$9/hour) and consistent power delivery regardless of altitude.
The aircraft aims for a 60-minute endurance plus a 10-minute energy reserve, which currently faces regulatory differences between EASA and FAA reserve requirements, leading to staged certification and U.S. availability planned for 2027 with increased battery capacity.
The author's flight experience was seamless, noting the electric aircraft felt like a conventional one, while H55 is also actively collaborating with major aviation companies to integrate electric propulsion systems into various existing aircraft types, indicating a broader industry shift.

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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.