Future Of Aviation: Battery-Powered Planes Produce Zero Emissions

A battery-powered plane nicknamed Alice made by Israeli company Eviation may be the future of air travel. First test flights are expected this summer, with planes in service possibly within two years – and some companies have already put in large orders. NBC’s Tom Costello reports for TODAY.

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#Eviation #Planes #Travel

[nja]

There is no such thing as a "zero emissions" electrical propulsion system. The emissions are just moved from the aircraft to the utility's power generation system!

[electric]

There are several problems with battery airplanes that make them wholly unsuitable for commercial operations.

1. Unlike economy cars and even pickup trucks, the percentage of fuel by volume onboard an aircraft is significantly higher. Combustion-powered aircraft get significantly ligher as they fly as their fuel is used up, which saves a huge amount of energy. With a battery plane, you're always carrying the same weight as you fly.
2. We do not even know if batteries with the required energy densities are even possible.
3. And even IF said batteries were possible to make in reality, they would very likely be potential weapons of mass destruction.

And I'm gonna say this because I know someone is gonna bring it up:
*_They laughed at the Wright Brothers, but they also laughed at Bozo the Clown._*

[andyhughes]

Breakthrough technology is often NOT done by established companies but startups.

Look at Tesla.

Like Tesla, I think Eviation will lead electric aviation - not Airbus, not Boeing, not any traditional aircraft manufacturer.

[nikobelic]

“Quieter and smoother than a 737”
How smoother? This thing will fly as smoothly if it can climb as high as a 737 or less smoothly if it doesn’t

[nikobelic]

Battery powered 737 in 10 years?!
No, anything bigger than 20 seats will likely run on hydrogen

[tommydecember]

I have a design that will make electricity while pushing you forward that would help with the battery problem

[rickhalas]

All that battery weight being lugged around...

[georgevladimirovich]

There is no such a thing as ZERRO emissions. The chemical reaction inside the batteries are producing emissions. The friction between the mechanical components are producing emissions. Nothing is lost; it just transforms itself. Lavoisier determined that more than 200 years ago.

[victorrameau]

Hasn't flown yet. The battery tech for their claims simply does not exist yet. Lastly... those engine pods (& props) sure do resemble a PT-6 (common turboprop engine for commuter planes). Is someone more interested in attracting "investors" rather than customers? I would love to be proven wrong, but that means a small company somehow skipped several decades of power-density tech without anyone else noticing. Tesla is spending billions for a battery factory to make 1/10th these claims.

[slendii]

We need to invest in Hydrogen fuel cells for commercial aircraft, and electric for GA, that seems a lot more feasible.

[edguitar]

Pound for pound, jet fuel and lithium batteries. There will never be anything more powerful that a single drop of fuel.

[StillLivinginthewoods]

What about all the emissions that are produced by the coal and natural gas power plants that provide the electricity?
What about the ecological disaster that is a lithium mine?
What about the kids and slaves that are used to mine the lithium?
What about all the US jobs and wealth that are generated by fossil fuels?
What about all the plastic products that are made cheaper because plastic is a by-product of refining oil?

I am not against renewable energy, people simply need to become much more realistic about the time frame, and come to terms with the FACT that fossil fuels will remain the primary sources of energy for the next several decades, ... at least.

[alid]

We have had free energy for decades. For the many, not the few....

[karlossargeant]

CapeAir has Orders for these New Electric Propeller Planes which is a good move for the Little US Carrier Awesome Video I hope to fly on Electric Planes in the near future.

[jamestunedflat]

When they cut them off, you know what they were going to say was important. Batteries need 400 watt hrs per kilogram, and we're only about 2/3 the way there for competitive numbers to hydrocarbon fueled aircraft, so it doesn't look like 10 years, more like 40 or 50. Never say never, and never trust the " news ".

[mitropoulosilias]

looks like fireballs will falling from the sky with people inside...

[AnupomAG]

Can't imagine lithium battery explosion in the middle of sky

[Phat]

It doesn’t produce any exhausts, but it took lots emissions generated by coal or gas to charge its battery. There is nothing even close to the energy density of a gallon of AvGas. And as you fly an aircraft powered by petrol, over time it’s performance gets better because it has burned off the weight of X amount of gallons of AvGas and can now fly higher, to drop its fuel consumption and extend its range. Or catch a better tailwind and increase its groundspeed. With a battery powered aircraft, the performance you took off with is what you get until you land. The altitude you initially climbed to is all your going to get. The TAS (true airspeed) you took off with is all you’re going to get for the duration of the flight. Battery’s are performance limiting and utterly inefficient for powering airplanes.

[stevenheit]

Having a plane full of lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries(more powerful) is a terrible idea in the sake of safety. And safety is #1 in the aviation industry. If those batteries overheat there’s nothing that can suppress a lithium fire. Everyone on board will become casualties. There’s a reason why the FAA limits the size of li-ion battery for passengers on commercial flights to 100watts. Bigger batteries have a bigger boom 💥

[kelvinkeme]

It's not quieter, just as noisy as an engine propelled airplane. Same blade size.