Skip to main content

Airbus, Developing Electric Flight

Not so long ago in the Airbus design centre in Toulouse, France, the concept of an electric aeroplane was born, coined, the E-Fan.  Quiet, and producing zero emissions during flight, this unique concept 2 seater aeroplane was the beginning of the drive by Airbus to create an electric aircraft. Featuring a carbon fibre body, this unique monoplane successfully crossed the English Channel in 2015, Didier Esteyne, E-Fan’s chief engineer, was also the pilot, mimicking Louise Bleriot, who was the first man fly across the channel in 1909. The E-Fan is powered by a series of 250v lithium polymer battery packs, providing around an hour of flight time, made by South Korean company Kokam, which drive two 30kw motors, which spin two ducted variable pitch fans.

EFan-flying1.2017-01-02-19-32-47__c8b25a2af13ee5feb7c1eeadc288fb69dbdbdb8f.jpg

This success gave Airbus impetus to continue, the E-fan plus was conceived, a hybrid version featuring a small engine that could increase flight time for an extra couple of hours, along with a proposed 4 seater aircraft called the E-fan 4.0.

Progression

The original 2014 E-fan featured two 30kW electric motors to power the two fans it possessed, today in 2017, Siemens, who is one of the partners in the project,  have an aerobatic aircraft called the Extra, which features a 300kW electric motor, a 10x progression in only 3 years since the original E-fan concept. With progression being so rapid in this field of endeavour Airbus would like to see another dramatic step-change, maybe in the next 3 years see a 2-megawatt motor in a hybrid electrical format?

48bab5f486f83c0fd6147b830ff885de_9847ae255d743c23aeeb8383e92161f49c016894.jpg

The next generation

The original intention for the two and four seater E-Fan series of aircraft was for them to become a commercial enterprise, but they abandoned the development of the smaller variants of the X-Fan in early 2017 to concentrate on a larger-scale commercial aircraft, coined the E-Fan X.  Airbus maintains that the rate of progression and development in hybrid electric propulsion has encouraged them to rapidly advance their ambitions, along with the financial aspects of future commercial applications. The E-Fan X current design intention is for it to be a large regional aeroplane, carrying up to 90 passengers with considerably more powerful electric motors and a supporting hybrid engine.  For this single-aisle aircraft, in a hybrid-electric format, the estimated power requirements could be around 20 to 40 megawatts.  The E-Fan X and its future development will depend on the intended 2-megawatt demonstrator version being constructed now, to see how the technology can progress from there.

9b32109242dbd8b75ac143f9e75bca68_bcb28da7558ba4863fb80c90194889dbb0acd65f.jpg

Airbus and its partners believe the hybrid motor concept could redefine the path the aeronautical industry will take this coming century, with massively reduced CO2, Nitrous Oxide and particulate emissions, associated aircraft noise and vibrations are just a few of the environmental benefits on offer. Many airports have noise restrictions at night to reduce the environmental impact on residents who live nearby, removing that barrier would significantly increase the amount of air traffic over a 24hr period that an airport with night time restrictions could process.

With all the apparent benefits that the E-fan X and any of the other variants that may arise over the coming years, large reductions in noise and environmental pollution can only be beneficial on so many levels. On the back of that progress, you have the infrastructures and businesses that will need to be created or adjusted to accommodate for the increase in demand, both from an employment perspective and from all the services and businesses that will support a fully scheduled 24hr airline service. The future of air travel is certainly going to be quieter, and the future is certainly electric it seems.

To read more about the E-Fan concept and the technology click here

Countless years taking things to bits to see how they tick...now Fighting the good SEO & content battle at Kempston Controls! Level 191...get in!
DesignSpark Electrical Logolinkedin