The legitimacy of the electric plane

Squeezing 330 horsepower out of 50 pounds is a serious stunt even if the machine in which such an engine is running stays on the ground all the way. In the case of a hybrid-electric aircraft, where every kg counts anyway, all of this is exponentially true. Siemens continues to develop its electric-assisted aircraft at a rapid pace.

A hybrid-electric aircraft is worth knowing that it has both a conventional and an electric motor, but while the internal combustion engine “spins” at constant speeds in flight (and thus practically recharges the excess energy used for the flight into the battery), at higher power requirements, such as takeoff also, the electric motor turns on. In electric rape, therefore, electric propulsion is used for short-term maneuvers that require more power – on the one hand, hybrid-electric aircraft consume half as much as their conventional counterparts, and on the other hand, they essentially take off from the runways silently. According to EV Obsession, the new type of electric motor is only 50 pounds, which is surprisingly large when measured to provide a continuous output of about 260 kW. The 330 hp, which can be best used to increase thrust during take-off, also makes it possible to increase the size of a hybrid-electric aircraft: Siemens says that with this design, it is already possible to think of aircraft larger than four seats.

“This day will change aviation,” said Frank Anton, head of eAircraft, who said the new propulsion system would also pave the way for the technology to be deployed at 100,000, a thousand kilometers away, by 2030.