The Aviation Industry is Pursuing Innovative Solutions to Reduce Carbon Emissions: Elysian, a Dutch-based startup, is developing an electric aircraft with a capacity for 90 passengers and a range of 800 kilometers.
The Electric Passenger Plane E9X is No Longer a Fantasy…
Considering the current limits of battery technology, we have yet to see an electric passenger plane capable of flight. Daniel Rosen Jacobson, co-founder of Elysian, stated that they are on the verge of overcoming this issue with their new aircraft concept, the E9X.
The E9X will have a fuselage the size of an Airbus A320 but will feature wider wings and six propeller-driven engines compared to traditional passenger aircraft designs. The company aims to place the aircraft’s batteries in the wings to maintain weight balance and comply with existing airport regulations.
Elysian’s goal is to produce a full-scale prototype by 2030. Jacobson said, “If short-range electric aircraft like the E9X become a reality, we could significantly reduce the aviation industry’s carbon footprint and radically change the flying experience.”
Although the company is optimistic about the E9X, experts still believe that developing electric passenger aircraft remains technically challenging. Dr. Sophie Armanini from Imperial College London commented, “Current batteries are still too heavy compared to the energy they store. Therefore, electric propulsion is currently only feasible for small and limited-range aircraft.”
What do you think about the Dutch company’s project? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
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