4 ms·

Electric aircraft are impossible until someone develops much better battery technology than even our most-advanced LiIon tech.

by magduf 7y ago

Robotbeat 7y ago
Not only are they possible, but you can buy one right now. This one has ~200km range (it's a two seater for training purposes, not optimized for range or seating) and you can buy it right now: https://www.pipistrel.ad/training/alpha-electro https://www.pipistrel.ad/training/alpha-electro Of course, there's this 200 mile, 4 seater that won NASA's Green Flight Challenge several years ago: https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/extreme-10/ https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/extreme-10/ And several other companies are feverishly building electric airplanes. The retrofits have 150-200 mile range while the clean sheet designs being built right now are up to about 1000km range and cruise speed of ~240 knots. (Faster and longer range than the first passenger airplanes.) That's faster than California's high speed rail and with a comparable or longer per-leg travel distance. With existing battery tech. Why does this falsehood persist on the Internet that electric aircraft are impossible? You're not the first to make such a claim.
- magduf 7y ago
  I stand corrected, however these are clearly still at the experimental stage, and I don't see how the tech is anywhere near ready for commercial use. >Why does this falsehood persist on the Internet that electric aircraft are impossible? You're not the first to make such a claim. This is absolutely the first I've heard of these planes or this company, and I keep up fairly well with tech news. >That's faster than California's high speed rail and with a comparable or longer per-leg travel distance. A turtle is faster than California's high speed rail, since there's no such thing as high speed rail in California. They canceled it, largely because it was going to be horribly expensive (even for HSR) and really slow since it was going to take an inefficient route that was driven by politics instead of geography. You're right: electric aircraft aren't impossible, however high speed rail in California (or probably anywhere in the US) is.

Electric aircraft are impossible until someone develops much better battery technology than even our most-advanced LiIon tech.

by magduf 7y ago

Electric aircraft are impossible until someone develops much better battery technology than even our most-advanced LiIon tech.

Robotbeat 7y ago

Not only are they possible, but you can buy one right now. This one has ~200km range (it's a two seater for training purposes, not optimized for range or seating) and you can buy it right now: https://www.pipistrel.ad/training/alpha-electro https://www.pipistrel.ad/training/alpha-electro Of course, there's this 200 mile, 4 seater that won NASA's Green Flight Challenge several years ago: https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/extreme-10/ https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/extreme-10/ And several other companies are feverishly building electric airplanes. The retrofits have 150-200 mile range while the clean sheet designs being built right now are up to about 1000km range and cruise speed of ~240 knots. (Faster and longer range than the first passenger airplanes.) That's faster than California's high speed rail and with a comparable or longer per-leg travel distance. With existing battery tech. Why does this falsehood persist on the Internet that electric aircraft are impossible? You're not the first to make such a claim.

magduf 7y ago
I stand corrected, however these are clearly still at the experimental stage, and I don't see how the tech is anywhere near ready for commercial use. >Why does this falsehood persist on the Internet that electric aircraft are impossible? You're not the first to make such a claim. This is absolutely the first I've heard of these planes or this company, and I keep up fairly well with tech news. >That's faster than California's high speed rail and with a comparable or longer per-leg travel distance. A turtle is faster than California's high speed rail, since there's no such thing as high speed rail in California. They canceled it, largely because it was going to be horribly expensive (even for HSR) and really slow since it was going to take an inefficient route that was driven by politics instead of geography. You're right: electric aircraft aren't impossible, however high speed rail in California (or probably anywhere in the US) is.