Race for world's first commercially viable electric plane: The battle for 'Tesla of the skies'

Of all the major industries that spew out planet-warming greenhouse gasses, one stands out as unfixable - so far. Fossil fuel power plants can be replaced with wind and solar power. One can switch to electric cars. But as Mark Phillips reports from the British Aviation History Museum for the "CBS This Morning" series Eye on Earth, the one thing aircraft have had in common down through the ages is aviation fuel. A commercially viable electric airplane cannot yet be made, aviation fuel is too powerful to replace with batteries.

Each weekday morning, "CBS This Morning" co-hosts Gayle King, Anthony Mason and Tony Dokoupil deliver two hours of original reporting, breaking news and top-level newsmaker interviews in an engaging and informative format that challenges the norm in network morning news programs.

[andresznidar]

The first commercially viable electric airplane has been certified for almost a year now, the Pipistrel Velis Electro.

[Luffyxw]

Seems risky but if it’ll help save the planet I’m down.

[russelljames]

For all the people against it. Y’all realize oil is a finite resource right.

[sherloidbai]

the electricity generated to charge said batteries doesn't pollute? Alright Sir.

[rfayz]

Like we found a vaccine for covid
19, all airlines should invest heavily in the research of battery power to weight the correct ratio for flight. Like it's an emergency.

[DefaultName-cbvw]

Every electric aircraft airport can come equipped with it's very own coal burning powerplat to get ALL those batteries charged in a jiffy.

[SuperYellowsubmarin]

"runs on plant-based fuel, not fossil fuel". No, it runs on the fuel that's available, and plant-based fuel is stil in its infancy for aviation and wayyyy less available than Jet-A kerosene. The fact that it's green-fuel-compatible does not mean immediately and exclusively.

[RogerM]

Electric planes are almost as useless as it gets, because you're carry all the flight the full load of the battery pack.

[slowpoke]

"Take theory, apply engineering and miracle" isn't a saying in aviation or anywhere else. They just cut that outta whole cloth.
source: a bunch of degrees in aviation

[butchcassidy]

Nothing but a old guy talking about new tech that he knows nothing about. He makes it seem so bleak because of his own doubts about the tech. I love the idea of have a generator on the plane to restore the batteries. That's awesome great idea.

[wh]

I'd like to see a hydrogen powered aircraft. Not sure about the weight, but it would be clean

[DennisAllard]

This news report which would have been much more informative if they had mentioned the range of the planes they described, current range and range in the near future. Instead we got a bunch of very general "funny" remarks that are not informative.

[mytubehkjt]

'Plant Based'. So taking away land for food. Hmmm.

How about you do a review on lithium mines. I'll bet you won't.

[freaksofnaturebegone]

It’s going to be funny to watch all the wrecks. Lol lol 😝

[etristanb]

Tesla Massive amount of debt on books. Giga factories debt financed. massive holding of now worthless bitcoin. Sales in rapid decline especially in China where the GIGA factory will be seized for failure to service debt obligations. Every car manufacturer on earth producing EV’s including all luxury brands with a better reputation and track record than Tesla. This thing is burning and will continue to burn. Good thing Elon has all his wealth in this stock, this is well deserved.

[cherylberez]

The unaccountable parrot conceptually whistle because evening transmurally present vice a wandering pan. silent, scared attention