World's first ever electric aircraft has successfully taken its maiden voyage. This electric aircraft called the 'E-Fan' is the latest creation of Toulouse-based Airbus.
The fact that its engines are powered by electricity, provides it a low-noise, eco-friendly profile. This successful voyage carves a new path for the technology's potential in aircrafts. The cost amounts to 16 dollars per hour to power providing decent height of 220km/h with a cruising speed of 160km/h on its 30kW engines.
The plane can stay in air for around 45-60 minutes if it gets its proper power from 120 250V Li-ion batteries, which are stored in the wings, and backup battery are also provided that lasts around 15 minutes.
Spokesperson at Airbus said that extensive research and stress testing has established that the E-Fan's battery system provides sufficient safety margins and close supervision of all battery cell parameters are performed during test flights.
In the course of its development, Airbus is also confident that it can not only save on costs, but can actually reduce carbon emissions for all new aircraft by 75 percent.
its still a prototype version 2.0 E-Fan while development of the production version is expected to begin in June in a production facility near Bordeaux Airport ... The aircraft is expected to enter into service by 2017. Airbus plans to introduce a new four-seat E-Fan 4.0 version aircraft in the next two years.
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