Electric Airplanes

I first bought a hybrid electric car in 2006 that Ive just replaced with a plug-in hybrid electric car. The technology is amazing and gas usage is dramatically shifted to cheaper electricity. Every time I slow down, Im putting energy back into the battery to reuse. Thus, even when the car says I can drive 15 miles on the battery, if Im in stop-and-go traffic, I can usually count on a lot more.

Frank Bowlin

Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article expresses strong skepticism about the practicality of electric propulsion for airplanes, despite its benefits for cars, citing fundamental limitations.
Primary obstacles for electric aircraft include the heavy weight and low energy density of current batteries compared to traditional fuel, severely limiting range and requiring impractical, hours-long recharge times for cross-country travel.
While regenerative charging offers minimal benefit for general aviation, electric airplanes might find a niche for specific uses like short-duration flight training in the pattern, but not for broader travel applications.

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The whole world seems giddy about electric propulsion, and that’s good. But good things must be moderated against practicality.

I first bought a hybrid electric car in 2006 that I’ve just replaced with a plug-in hybrid electric car. The technology is amazing and gas usage is dramatically shifted to cheaper electricity. Every time I slow down, I’m putting energy back into the battery to reuse. Thus, even when the car says I can drive 15 miles on the battery, if I’m in stop-and-go traffic, I can usually count on a lot more.