Novel electric motor brings electric passenger airplanes a step closer to reality
03/28/2021 / By Virgilio Marin
Minnesota startup H3X says it has developed an electric aircraft motor that is three times more powerful and weighs considerably less than commercially available motors. The firm notes that it is currently focused on bringing the motor to smaller, less regulated industries, such as those for cargo drones and air taxis, but adds that its long-term goal is to electrify passenger airplanes.
Electrifying aircraft requires powerful, compact motors
Several electric airplanes are already being tested but they still have a long way to go before being used commercially. The problem is mainly the lack of power. The energy needed to propel an aircraft fast enough to generate lift grows exponentially as the mass and size of the plane increase.
Firms are trying to solve this problem either by trying to fit more energy in the same mass or using energy more efficiently. H3X has taken both routes and developed a compact electric motor that’s both more powerful and lighter than current models.
https://www.climate.news/2021-03-28-electric-motor-can-lead-to-electric-airplanes.html
