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Airbus actually made a prototype electric ducted fan plane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan The core prob

Airbus actually made a prototype electric ducted fan plane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan The core problem with it though was the poor energy density of batteries. Hopefully electric cars will drive more innovation in this area, although the aviation industry is usually at least 20-30 years behind the automotive industry as far as engine technology goes, so we're probably 40 years away from getting widespread adoption of electric aircraft.

greglindahl 9y ago
If you'll recall, Boeing used pretty modern LiIon batteries in the B787 and it caused a few fires. That appears to have been a design mistake that no car manufacturer has made, but it still sets a standard for what aviation needs to do if they want to be closer to the bleeding edge.
Retric 9y ago
> behind the automotive That's far from true, large aircraft engines are vastly more efficient than automotive engines. Small aircraft are such a tiny market they effectively get zero R&D. Interestingly hybrid cars could be significantly improved fuel efficiency using turbine engines though at increased costs. Plug in hybrids may actually see the adoption due to lower weight and lower useage making those tradeoffs less meaningful.
ajross 9y ago
> so we're probably 40 years away Batteries will never get there, even in four decades. There's no known battery chemistry, even in theory, that even comes close. Fuel cells would have to be the power source, though fuel cells are like fusion in that they're always a few decades out. Frankly if the real goal is having aircraft flying on renewable power, I'd put my money on using that clean energy at sea level to synthesize fuel to burn at altitude. Aviation just isn't a meaningful application of electric motors IMHO.

3 ms·

Airbus actually made a prototype electric ducted fan plane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_E-Fan The core prob

by toomanybeersies 9y ago

greglindahl 9y ago
If you'll recall, Boeing used pretty modern LiIon batteries in the B787 and it caused a few fires. That appears to have been a design mistake that no car manufacturer has made, but it still sets a standard for what aviation needs to do if they want to be closer to the bleeding edge.
Retric 9y ago
> behind the automotive That's far from true, large aircraft engines are vastly more efficient than automotive engines. Small aircraft are such a tiny market they effectively get zero R&D. Interestingly hybrid cars could be significantly improved fuel efficiency using turbine engines though at increased costs. Plug in hybrids may actually see the adoption due to lower weight and lower useage making those tradeoffs less meaningful.
ajross 9y ago
> so we're probably 40 years away Batteries will never get there, even in four decades. There's no known battery chemistry, even in theory, that even comes close. Fuel cells would have to be the power source, though fuel cells are like fusion in that they're always a few decades out. Frankly if the real goal is having aircraft flying on renewable power, I'd put my money on using that clean energy at sea level to synthesize fuel to burn at altitude. Aviation just isn't a meaningful application of electric motors IMHO.