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possiblyFurther t1_j6hqd32 wrote

Not with current battery tech they won't. Even the article mentions a pitiful 200km range with up to 400km using hybrid tech (so back to using combustibles, are we?). Real world practical range capabilities of electric planes will have to wait until we get better battery tech with higher energy density. Right now this seems like another too-good-to-be-true company which appears promising so that they get investors and subsidies to line the pockets of the founders.

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Progenitor001 t1_j6iz3gy wrote

These pop up every week. But yeah the "I swear bro this time it's different, just give me money bro, I'm gonna revolutionize travel bro I swear bro this time for real bro" crowd on here is just beyond help. It's impossible to explain to a stupid that they're stupid

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TheLianeonProject t1_j6htwsv wrote

>line the pockets of the founders.

All new technologies are too-good-to-be-true when they start out, and all startups need to paint an optimistic outlook to get funding. You seem to be suggesting corruption, which need not be the case.

Remember also, electric aircraft don't need a super long range to carve out an important niche. They are prop-driven and can actually be faster than jets on these short routes, doing so without expensive fuel.

I can see a future where electric planes take over some short air routes for sure.

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Progenitor001 t1_j6iyaon wrote

Yeah, the too good to be true tech are called scams, vaporware and greenwashing. People need to stop throwing money on useless trash just because a few millionaires think it's a cool. Idea.

Examples: Theranos. Hyperloop, waterseer, that one electric truck company, solar roadways. To name a few. Fucking morons throwing money at garbage.

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thegreatgazoo t1_j6i8puh wrote

The range is only half of the picture. Current airplanes can refuel quickly and easily and get back in the air. A battery powered airplane would need either multiple charge points or swappable batteries.

Then there's fire suppression unless a battery that is much less flammable than lithium ion batteries are used.

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Surur t1_j6i9n1j wrote

> However, United Airlines-backed Heart Aerospace says swapping batteries will add unnecessary complexity and that charging times will be about 40 minutes for an 'average mission'.

I believe their solid electrode battery has a much lower risk of fire.

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