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This is why I'm so excited for lithium-air batteries. Theoretically they'd carry ~40.1 MJ/kg, which is very competitive with gasoline's ~46.8 MJ/kg. Factoring i
by j9461701 7y ago
This is why I'm so excited for lithium-air batteries. Theoretically they'd carry ~40.1 MJ/kg, which is very competitive with gasoline's ~46.8 MJ/kg. Factoring in the higher efficiency of electric drives (95% vs. 35% for say a regular ICE car), you'd be getting effectively over double the energy per pound in terms of moving you around.
- Rychard 7y agoBurning fuel reduces weight, so the range per unit of (remaining) fuel is greater. Batteries however, weigh the same amount regardless of charge level. I wonder if this affects the calculations in an appreciable way.
- bdamm 7y agoAt nearly double energy efficiency, nobody will care much about the weight of the batteries. Some airplane design changes due to no longer being able to take off heavier than they are allowed to land (this is common on long hauls) but the design changes also likely change due to better placement of thrust and its weight (engines go almost anywhere the designer wants), and better control over location of the weight (batteries aren't liquid and don't slosh around, and a sloshing liquid also has negative aerodynamic effects.)