Electric Vehicles

2929 readers

32 users here now

Overview:

Electric Vehicles are a key part of our tomorrow and how we get there. If we can get all the fossil fuel vehicles off our roads, out of our seas and out of our skies, we'll have a much better environment. This community is where we discuss the various different vehicles and news stories regarding electric transportation.

Related communities:

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

sabreW4K3@slrpnk.net

sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al

threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works

Sunshine@piefed.ca

First test flight of largest all-electric aircraft used just $5 of electricity (arstechnica.com)

submitted 6 days ago by rimu@piefed.social to c/electricvehicles@slrpnk.net

37 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The X1 aircraft is comparable in size to a small regional airliner and can achieve a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 25,000 pounds with the help of four wing-mounted electric motors. The battery-electric propulsion system delivered more than one megawatt of power during the maiden flight.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] betanumerus@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

With small airplanes, you get to choose departure time. Electric airplanes can make this affordable to more people.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 1 points 2 days ago

@betanumerus@lemmy.ca

@rimu@piefed.social Only if you personally own the airplane and either are the pilot, or can afford to pay the pilot. Most pilots are not sole owners their airplane and only get to choose departure time if there is one available when they want to go (there are many ways to rent or be part owners of an airplane.)

There are commercial small airplane services with various business models. All the affordable ones are just small airlines: they run scheduled flights and you book a seat (which sell out) in advance for when the run happens.

I don't think most people will ever find small airplanes affordable. I'm paying $600/month (plus insurance and taxes) for the privilege of having a car that I can use on demand - even though I normally ride my bike, this is the price I need to pay to ensure I can get to some of the more distant places in my city. I do not have a runway in my backyard so having an airplane doesn't save me from having to also have that car payment to get to the airport (even if I did have a runway, most of my friends do not). Which is to say assuming they can get the cost of a used airplane down to a used car it still is a large expense that I doubt most people could afford.