The idea of quiet, low-carbon air travel is a logical extension of the electric vehicle race that has now also reached maritime travel in electric ferries. But there are some unique challenges with electric planes, which have delayed a repeat of what happened in electric cars in recent years and will be happening more in the years to come—some call it an energy revolution that will turn the oil industry on its head with millions of electric vehicles replacing gas guzzlers. The main challenge with electric planes seems to have been striking the balance between weight, reliability, and cost. An all-electric plane would need a massive load of batteries—this is not only expensive, but also has implications for the aircraft’s flight performance. Of course, there are also issues such as safety and range to consider. No wonder then that all the test flight news about e-planes seem to be […]