AMSTERDAM, Feb 1 — In less than 10 years, a Dutch startup plans to fly an all-electric airliner capable of carrying up to 90 passengers over distances of up to 1,000 kilometres. This project, the most ambitious of its kind, represents quite the technological challenge.
Elysian Aircraft aims to play a major role in the future of aviation. The startup even intends to one day compete with aeronautical giants Boeing and Airbus, firm in the belief that electric aircraft represent the future of air transport.
To overcome the problem of batteries that are not powerful enough to cover long distances, the startup has developed an original new design, aimed at reducing energy consumption to a minimum. For its first aircraft, the E9X, this means using a lightweight composite fuselage to reduce weight as much as possible, thereby increasing range. But the most striking feature of the first images of the startup’s prototype are its eight propellers (four on each wing), powered by the same number of electric motors.
The startup is already planning a first test flight of the E9X by 2025. On paper, it has been designed to accommodate up to 90 passengers and cover a distance of around 800km. By 2033, when the first commercial flight is scheduled, the startup hopes to reach the symbolic 1,000km mark.
The idea is to make the E9X the first large-capacity electric airliner. By making electric power a credible alternative to kerosene, Elysian’s aim is to actively contribute to the decarbonisation of the airline industry. Today, half of all commercial flights cover a distance of less than 1,000km. As a result, the company claims that electric aviation could potentially reduce air travel’s CO2 emissions by 20 per cent. — ETX Studio
