Why Electric Planes Are Almost Impossible | Pushing Limits
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Electric cars took decades to go mainstream — electric planes might take even longer. We flew in BETA Technologies' Alia CX300, one of the most promising electric aircraft in the world, to find out why battery-powered flight has stayed almost impossible for more than 50 years.
The aviation industry has burned through more than $20 billion with barely a working commercial product to show for it — Zunum Aero, Eviation, and Lilium all collapsed after raising serious money.
So how is BETA different, and when will the rest of us actually get to fly electric?
Read "Flying in Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 showed me why electric planes aren't mainstream yet": https://bit.ly/46WMnd2
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Batteries
05:45 - Charging
06:20 - Aerodynamics
09:39 - The Flight
12:48 - Certification
14:36 - Routes
16:47 - Financing
20:12 - Conclusion
21:43 - Credits
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#electricplane #Aviation #BETATechnologies #evtech #TheLimit #pushinglimits
MORE EPISODES:
Why Fully Self-Driving Cars Are Almost Impossible
https://youtu.be/Kcq0tjmvGOs
Why Bringing Back Supersonic Is Almost Impossible
https://youtu.be/sLm9zbGoli4
Why Living In Space Is Almost Impossible
https://youtu.be/tFgC7TwuAHU
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Why Electric Planes Are Almost Impossible | Pushing Limits | Business Insider
The aviation industry has burned through more than $20 billion with barely a working commercial product to show for it — Zunum Aero, Eviation, and Lilium all collapsed after raising serious money.
So how is BETA different, and when will the rest of us actually get to fly electric?
Read "Flying in Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 showed me why electric planes aren't mainstream yet": https://bit.ly/46WMnd2
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Batteries
05:45 - Charging
06:20 - Aerodynamics
09:39 - The Flight
12:48 - Certification
14:36 - Routes
16:47 - Financing
20:12 - Conclusion
21:43 - Credits
------------------------------------------------------
#electricplane #Aviation #BETATechnologies #evtech #TheLimit #pushinglimits
MORE EPISODES:
Why Fully Self-Driving Cars Are Almost Impossible
https://youtu.be/Kcq0tjmvGOs
Why Bringing Back Supersonic Is Almost Impossible
https://youtu.be/sLm9zbGoli4
Why Living In Space Is Almost Impossible
https://youtu.be/tFgC7TwuAHU
Business Insider is a global newsroom covering business, technology, innovation, and the economy.
Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com/?utm_source=youtube
Sign up for our newsletters: https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter?u…
Find Business Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider
... on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessinsider
... on X: https://x.com/BusinessInsider
... on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessinsider
Why Electric Planes Are Almost Impossible | Pushing Limits | Business Insider
@BusinessInsider
Also read "I flew on a startup's one-of-a-kind electric plane that could reshape air travel by 2027": bit.ly/4z1temV
And "Flying in Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 showed me why electric planes aren't mainstream yet": bit.ly/4hDoJXA
25 likes
@postiticeland8783
Even if electric airplanes “only” do short domestic flights, that would be a huge milestone and big slump of oil use gone
628 likes
@alexandermarinosyan357
The key to taking off with such heavy batteries - "maximizing for aerodynamics" is a genius move which never before occurred to any traditional aviation engineer.
180 likes
@MattGarrett1
But this is where the thinking of most old school establishment individuals fails. 45% of all air travel is under 250 miles. Smaller airports are closing due to a lack of usage. Which is the cost to taxpayers and a loss of jobs. By investing, electric air, travel into smaller airports, you could cut close to 50% of airplane emissions into the air for necessary, travel while cutting the cost of air travel exponentially to the end user. All while sustaining, smaller airports, and keeping jobs open. For example, a flight from Toronto to Ottawa should only be available at a smaller airport with an electric plane.
752 likes
@doyoulikejazz9516
Bro, saying they (Lilium) were "almost certified" and essentially insinuating they just got screwed out of 50 mil is wild. They had already burned through 1.5 BILLION euros of investment and still hadn't even managed to complete their prototypes. There were many unsolved issues like disc loading, they did not get "almost certified" they were pretty much the furthest thing from it because of the novel design of multiple little fans/jets, and the 50 Mil was essentially supposed to be a government loan guarantee they begged for to unlock more funding to keep the lights on. They probably needed many billions more.
79 likes
@edwardboylan4187
Feel like these would be money for skydiving schools, just requires such a barrier because of investment/waiting on bureaucracy
235 likes
@InsertNameHere-se6gb
The most popular flight in the U.S. is a shorthaul flight. Getting an electric plane to fulfill 3 hour flights with a capacity of 50 to 100 passengers will be a true success.
23 likes
@Firog6004
One thing to consider is a plane burns fuel and lands with a lesser weight than takeoff. Which is great. With battery powered same weight on takeoff and landing.
7 likes
@LouisDuran
Funny that this video was published the same month that Heart Aerospace completed it's first 30 minute test flight of a full scale prototype version of the ES-30. It's almost like Business Insider doesn't have a research department.
1 likes
@colinmckim4515
So cool that the Arctic tern was the design inspiration
51 likes
@CWhitmer22015
I really really like that you included a reality check chapter. It is so easy to get caught up in the hype.
1 likes
@msdm83
CATL have test flown a 4-ton aircraft. Batteries are nearing the density required. It won't be that long before they are mainstream.
17 likes
@grayson5721
Very well done episode, well done!
@InevitableDefiance
It will take time, but it will happen. The world is changing.
15 likes
@dendropark7277
9:14 this cabin looks like a VR headset + a lot of code can replace all this screens. Except control panels, of course.
@gamesofKay
I havent forgotten about your previous video about AI with disabled comments
135 likes
@YodaMyOda
2:41 This bruda looks like he’s got a lot on his mind. Definitely dreams in 8K plus Dolby Vision
@karimshariff7379
Look into efforts of Heart Aerospace. It has built (its X1 model) a pure electric with a capacity of 30 passengers and a range of 150 miles. However, FAA rules requires enough "fuel" to land at alternate airports. Hence Heart Aerospace is now working towards an hybrid electric with comparable seating and it has orders from major airlines.
4 likes
@danyocummings
I live in Hawaii and I was just thinking about how great of a solution this would be for inter-island travel here. Very stoked to hear your closing statement. 🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
@willardSpirit
Since the old batteries still have capacity left but not suitable for flight, they can use it for energy storage for renewable energy
37 likes