World’s First Electric Airplane

Electric cars are fantastic, of course, but what about other forms of transportation. Electric trains are around, in places where they can be wired, and there are even some electric boats in the world. But electric planes…well…that’s just silly. Batteries are far too heavy…right?

WRONG! The single-seater Electra is the first conventional airplane to run entirely on batteries. The plane has a very traditional design, the only difference being some light-weight materials and the method for turning the prop. In test flights, the Electra has travelled for 30 miles at a peak speed of about 60 mph. It’s not a 747…but it shows that as the energy density of batteries increases, so too does their potential application.

Via TreeHugger

(Via EcoGeek.org.)

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