Humanity as a whole is gradually getting used to electric vehicles plying the roads but what about electric aircrafts crisscrossing the sky overhead? Many companies are working on electric flying machines and one of them, Bye Aerospace, has thrown the wraps off its new model, the eFlyer 800.
The new eFlyer 800 will be deployed as air-taxis, air-cargo and charter services.
While not all specs have been made public, the eFlyer will have a range of 500 nautical miles or 575 everyday miles. If you are scared of running out of battery juice mid-air, the aircraft has a 45 minute reserve. The battery will be supplied by OXIS Energy, which means we could see Quasi Solid-State Li-S batteries inside the eFlyer 800. They are rated 450 Wh/kg.
Normal cruising speed is 280 knots or 322 mph, while maximum payload is 1,540 pounds. It will use two electric motors mounted on the wings. They will be supplied by Safran.
The eFlyer 800 will seat seven or six passengers, depending on the number of pilots. The cabin will be 65 inches in width and 55 inches in height. Maximum altitude is 35,000 feet. There will be a full plane parachute.
The eFlyer 800 will likely come with safety features that include an emergency auto-landing system and intelligent algorithm ensuring envelope protection, terrain avoidance and routing for emergency auto-land.
Other likely features are optional solar cells to supplement the battery and in-wheel electric taxi.
Bye Aerospace claims that the eFlyer 800 will cut down operating expenses by up to 80%, while still increasing capacity and utility.
Other electric models by the company include the eFlyer 2 that will be used for professional training and eFlyer 4 meant for air taxi and cargo operations and training. Bye Aerospace disclosed that more than 726 reservations have been made for the two models. FAA Part-23 certifications are in progress.
George E. Bye, Bye Aerospace CEO described his company’s product: “The eFlyer 800 is the first all-electric propulsion technology airplane that achieves twin-turboprop performance and safety with no CO2 and extremely low operating costs. This type of remarkable economy and performance is made possible by the electric propulsion system and advanced battery cell technology that results in significantly higher energy densities.”
Bye Aerospace is based in Denver, Colorado and specializes in the design and manufacture of electric aircraft. It was founded by George E Bye, the current CEO.