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 author's first flight in the Bristell B23 Energic, an electric airplane developed by BRM Aero and H55, highlights significant advancements in electric aviation since his initial exposure to the technology in 2011.
Designed as a trainer, the B23 Energic aims for 60 minutes of flight endurance plus reserves from its 48 kWh battery pack, offering substantial operating cost savings (approx. $8-9/hour) and consistent power output regardless of density altitude.
The flight experience was positive and intuitive, with the author noting the aircraft handled smoothly and he "totally forgot" it was electric, indicating a maturing and user-friendly electric propulsion system, despite current U.S. regulatory differences affecting usable flight time compared to Europe.

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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.