Airport ground support equipment (GSE) presents a perfect use case for EVs. The specialty vehicles that service aircraft on the ground travel short distances, and can conveniently charge right on the airport apron. Goldhofer, a German-headquartered global provider of specialty vehicles, unveiled an electric version of its AST-2 towbarless aircraft tow tractor (aka Phoenix E)… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "electric aircraft"
CityAirbus NextGen electric aircraft prototype debuts
Airbus has publicly unveiled its electric CityAirbus NextGen prototype in conjunction with the opening of its new center in Donauwörth, Germany. The center is dedicated to testing eVTOL systems including flight controls, avionics, and electric motors with eight rotors. The two-tonne-class CityAirbus is slated for its maiden flight later this year. It has a wing… Read more »
Electric aircraft specialist Ampaire acquires Magpie Aviation
California-based electric aircraft company Ampaire has acquired Magpie Aviation, a Silicon Valley-based developer of electric tow aircraft. Ampaire has developed hybrid electric propulsion systems that can be integrated into general aviation and regional turboprop commercial aircraft. Ampaire says the addition of Magpie’s technology will enable it to offer unique solutions to its customers, and will… Read more »
Chalmers University: battery development will reduce electric aircraft life cycle impact
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, located in Göteborg, Sweden, have performed the first life-cycle assessment of a commercially available two-seater all-electric aircraft—the Pipistrel Alpha Electro, manufactured in Slovenia—directly comparing it to the fossil fuel-powered version of the same plane. The research, much of which was informed by records and data from the manufacturer, studied… Read more »
New studies indicate that battery-electric aircraft with 800 km range could be practical
Several companies are working on battery-electric aircraft, but electric aviation is a tougher nut to crack than electric cars, for physical reasons. It simply takes a lot more energy to keep an aircraft aloft than it does to propel a vehicle along a road, and every additional pound of battery weight takes a steep toll… Read more »
Envirotech and Garsite to deliver electric aircraft refueler to Atlantic Aviation in Colorado
EV manufacturer Envirotech Vehicles (EVTV), working with aviation refueling equipment maker Garsite, will deliver an electric aircraft refueler to Atlantic Aviation in Colorado. Phillip Oldridge, CEO of EVTV, said: “We are proud to deliver the first all-electric aircraft refueler to Atlantic Aviation and further plan to continue fulfilling the aviation industry’s demand for more sustainable ground… Read more »
Stellantis to build electric aircraft with Archer, provide strategic funding for growth
Stellantis and Archer Aviation have agreed to expand their existing partnership by joining forces to manufacture Archer’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Midnight. Stellantis has been a strategic partner to Archer since 2020, and an investor since 2021. Now Stellantis will contribute its manufacturing technology and expertise, plus personnel and capital, to help… Read more »
Ampaire receives $9-million ARPA-E grant to develop hybrid-electric aircraft systems
Ampaire, a manufacturer of electrified aircraft, has received a $9-million grant from the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) SCALEUP program, which it will use for the development of FAA-certified hybrid subsystems. The company is currently using a converted hybrid Cessna 337 Skymaster aircraft—dubbed the ARPA-E Bird—as a test bed for the development of subsystems… Read more »
Electric aircraft motor and inverter testing: How to simplify and overcome challenges (Whitepaper)
Sponsored by HBK In recent years there has been an increased interest in electric and more electric aircraft, including both novel all-electric aircraft, drones, rigid air ships, and traditional aircraft with efficient and more electric components. Validating these systems and components has challenges due to the nature of aerospace testing as well as the high… Read more »
Textron to acquire electric aircraft pioneer Pipistrel
Textron (NYSE: TXT), home to the Cessna, Beechcraft, and Bell aviation brands, has agreed to purchase Pipistrel, a developer of electric aircraft based in Slovenia and Italy. Textron plans to form a new business segment, Textron eAviation, focused on the development of sustainable aircraft, which will include Pipistrel. Pipistrel founder and CEO Ivo Boscarol will… Read more »