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:

Despite the enthusiasm for electric propulsion, the article expresses significant skepticism about its widespread practicality for airplanes, contrasting it with the success of hybrid cars.
The primary barriers for electric aircraft are the heavy weight and low energy density of batteries compared to fuel, which severely limit range and endurance.
Other challenges include impractically long recharging times and the minimal benefit of regenerative braking during typical flight profiles for energy recovery.
The author concludes that the only viable niche for current electric airplane technology is for short-duration training flights involving repetitive take-offs and landings.

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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.