BMW has achieved full electric flight, but it’s definitely not for everyone. Based on an idea by professional skydiver and BASE jumper Peter Salzmann, BMW and Designworks built an all-electric wingsuit that can achieve speeds of over 186 mph (300 kph).
After three years in development, the wingsuit recently took its maiden flight – and the entire adventure is documented in a series of short films called NEXTGen 2020, which doubles as marketing for the upcoming electric iNext crossover. The first two episodes in the series are available at the bottom of the page.
Along with them, BMW has released some details from the challenging conception and birth of the electrified wingsuit. Salzmann gets full credit for the idea, which came to him out of a desire to be able to actually achieve flight following a standard BASE jump. With BMW and Designworks in the picture, several prototypes were developed based on that idea, and modifications were made to them after extensive wind tunnel tests.
“The development process was a constant up and down, we were always facing new challenges,” Salzmann says. “Initially we were going to put the propulsion unit on the back. But after the initial drawings and discussions with aerodynamics experts, we decided to move the fly unit to the front. The very first time I tried the fly suit on, it was clear to me that the whole thing would be too heavy and that I would only have limited movement. The thing is, comfort and feeling safe are the most important things when jumping, and I also need freedom of movement so that I can open the parachute later.”
The final version of the wingsuit is powered by a rig that attaches to a breastplate with a hinge unit, and weighs a total of 26 pounds (12 kg). Two carbon impellers spinning at 25,000 RPM deliver 7.5 kW each, for a total output of 15 kW for about five minutes. For the maiden flight, Salzmann and two other BASE jumpers wearing traditional wingsuits were dropped by helicopter at 3,000 meters (9,842 feet).
After horizontal flying, Salzmann engaged the electric motors and was able to fly over one of the peaks in the Drei Brüder mountains, reaching speeds of over 186 mph (300 kph) and leaving the other two jumpers behind. The three met again once Salzmann had cleared the peak.
As you can make out in the videos below as well, this BMW developed all-electric wingsuit, as great as it is, is still second fiddle to the iNext.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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