Flying an aircraft heavier than theairair To cover long distances quickly, humans have known how to do it for a long time. But flying a heavy aircraft powered by an electric motor for a long time remains very complicated. Generally, electric planes powered by batteries have a fairly short autonomy. It allows them to travel only a few hundred kilometers.
Discover the interview with Sylphaero, creator of the first 100% electric aircraft jet engines, capable of reaching supersonic speeds, in Jeunes Pousses. © Futura
Surprise! Battery manufacturer CATL claims to have tested a long flight with an electric plane weighing four tons. How? Thanks to ultra-high density batteries. The test was carried out in secret and, apart from the weight of theaéronefaéronefno performance-related figures (vitessevitesse, altitude, distance traveled) has not been communicated. Building on this success, the company even claims that it could fly an eight-ton electric plane over a distance of 2,000 kilometers, or even 3,000, within three to four years. As a reminder, CATL is the current leader in the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles. Almost all brands, including TeslaTesla use its batteries.
Double the density of a Tesla battery
To carry out the test flight, CATL used a condensed battery, unveiled last year. It has a density twice that of the best models available on the market. This density is 500 Wh/kgkg. This battery was designed to be used in aeronautics with the aim of increasing the range of aircraft.
For its test, CATL created a specific aeronautical division in partnership with Comac, a Chinese public aeronautical company. Saying it is capable of doubling the massemasse of the aircraft with a maximum range of 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers, the company directly targets business aviation with private jets that can carry up to nine passengers.
In any case, if the claimed results of this condensed battery are correct, it could give a big boost to electric aviation, which is limited to a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers with a light electric aircraft. It will also mean that China will have a big head start on all the other players in the electric aviation sector.
