“Large plug plane still impossible” | Financial

That is what technical expert Joris Melkert of TU Delft says in response to the plans of the British price fighter EasyJet and Wright Electric to launch an electric aircraft with 189 seats around 2030. That is comparable to a Boeing 737. A development program for a 1.5 MW electric motor has been launched, together with new flight control and energy management systems.

“We plan to conduct ground tests with the engine in the course of next year, followed by the first small-scale test flights in 2023. The aircraft can run commercial flights from 2030,” said Wright.

“Hybrid flights for 200 passengers closer”

According to Melkert, such a powerful electric motor in the air is only possible in combination with a combustion engine that generates electricity during the flight. “If biofuel or synthetic kerosene is refueled for that, we are well on our way to flying greener. Airbus and Rolls Royce are also working on this, just like Boeing, “he says.

“Developments are going very fast, especially in the United States. The government is investing many millions in electric flying there, “says director William Vet of EasyJet Netherlands.

More than a year ago, Wright Electric already presented a prototype for a nine-passenger aircraft. “In the meantime, technology has advanced so far that there is a plane with 186 seats on the drawing board,” Vet said.

Breakthrough

According to him, the goal is to cover the distance between Amsterdam and London between 2030 and 2035 with an electric-hybrid aircraft. “If it is possible to develop such a device, it could be a breakthrough.”

The aviation sector is breaking its head to achieve a more environmentally friendly operation, as a result of increasing social and political pressure. This is not easy because it takes years to develop a new aircraft. That costs billions.

“Building the large Wright1 prototype is not the problem. Most of the time will be spent on the certification of the aircraft, “says Vet. This last process takes years. Yet Vet is convinced that he is on the right track with the semi-electric box, which still has a lot of skepticism about it.

Small sport planes for two people are already 100% electric, such as the Alpha Electro from manufacturer Pipistrel that can fly on the battery for an hour. Plugs for ten to fifteen passengers are being built. KLM, among others, invests a lot in sustainable fuel.

–