Post by PB on Sept 16, 2020 16:50:15 GMT
16/09/20
The latest FlightGlobal report on the development, even feasibility, of battery capability supporting zero emission flight in the future suggests we are "sort of" getting there...
Today’s attempts to fly on battery power rely on the same Lithium-ion technology that powers cells phones and automobiles; it can work, but to really get off the ground aviation will need a new generation of energy storage technology
A little over a year ago, Elon Musk waded into a Twitter conversation about electric aviation with the remark, “FWIW, based on calcs I did 10 years ago, cross-over point for Li-ion beating kerosene is ~400 Wh/kg. High cycle batteries are just 300 Wh/kg today, but probably exceed 400 in ~5 years.” This summer, he added: “400 Wh/kg *with* high cycle life, produced in volume (not just a lab) is not far. Probably 3 to 4 years.”
If the magic 400WH/kg (watt-hour per kilogram) capacity from Lithium-ion batteries was really so close, one might expect Musk to have launched an electric aircraft company by now - though between cars, rockets, tunnels and more exotic ventures like brain-computer interface implants, even he may have enough on his plate. But whether or not the Tesla and SpaceX magnate intends to join the few dozen existing electric flight projects at various stages of development, his figures highlight issues that stand in the way of zero-emission flying. Energy storage, rate of output, mass and manufacturing technology all weigh on the feasibility - and economics - of battery-powered flight so the question is: are today’s batteries good enough to do it?
The answer appears to be: yes, sort of.
The latest FlightGlobal report on the development, even feasibility, of battery capability supporting zero emission flight in the future suggests we are "sort of" getting there...
Today’s attempts to fly on battery power rely on the same Lithium-ion technology that powers cells phones and automobiles; it can work, but to really get off the ground aviation will need a new generation of energy storage technology
A little over a year ago, Elon Musk waded into a Twitter conversation about electric aviation with the remark, “FWIW, based on calcs I did 10 years ago, cross-over point for Li-ion beating kerosene is ~400 Wh/kg. High cycle batteries are just 300 Wh/kg today, but probably exceed 400 in ~5 years.” This summer, he added: “400 Wh/kg *with* high cycle life, produced in volume (not just a lab) is not far. Probably 3 to 4 years.”
If the magic 400WH/kg (watt-hour per kilogram) capacity from Lithium-ion batteries was really so close, one might expect Musk to have launched an electric aircraft company by now - though between cars, rockets, tunnels and more exotic ventures like brain-computer interface implants, even he may have enough on his plate. But whether or not the Tesla and SpaceX magnate intends to join the few dozen existing electric flight projects at various stages of development, his figures highlight issues that stand in the way of zero-emission flying. Energy storage, rate of output, mass and manufacturing technology all weigh on the feasibility - and economics - of battery-powered flight so the question is: are today’s batteries good enough to do it?
The answer appears to be: yes, sort of.
