Photo: Zunum
The enthusiasm with which companies have embraced the concept of electric mobility will soon expand far beyond the realm of automobiles, as we already heard news of electric barges to carry merchandise to the cities of Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.
Now we have word of when the world’s first electric commercial airplane would become operational. The aircraft, manufactured by Zunum Aero, would enter service as part of the JetSuite fleet as soon as 2022.
According to Business Insider, Zunum would deliver 100 such airplanes to the private jet rental company. They will be used for both rental operations and the company’s JetSuiteX regional airline that operates daily flights between Burbank (LA), the East Bay/Concord, Oakland and Las Vegas.
The Zunum airplane is a configurable machine which can operate with a pilot, without one, just like a drone, as an electric jet or as a hybrid one. Its batteries are hidden in the wings and the rear fuselage can be used to house either another battery pack or a range extender.
This latter configuration was chosen by JetSuite, which will be using thus the hybrid jets: electric batteries working in conjunction with a gas turbine coupled with a generator. Electric motors are used to take the airplane to the sky and its destination.
The maximum cruise speed for the plane is not significantly faster than that of a hypercar, 340 mph (547 km/h). It can take off from a 2,200 feet runway (670 meters) and can land on a slightly longer one, 2,500 feet (762 meters).
The airplane has been configured to seat a maximum of 27 people, spread through economy, premium and executive classes.
According to Zunum, the electric plane would have an operating cost of $250 per hour, allowing for significant savings in ticket price.
Zunum is backed in its initiative by Boeing’s HorizonX. It hasn’t yet properly flown one of its creations but has plans to do so in 2019.
According to Business Insider, Zunum would deliver 100 such airplanes to the private jet rental company. They will be used for both rental operations and the company’s JetSuiteX regional airline that operates daily flights between Burbank (LA), the East Bay/Concord, Oakland and Las Vegas.
The Zunum airplane is a configurable machine which can operate with a pilot, without one, just like a drone, as an electric jet or as a hybrid one. Its batteries are hidden in the wings and the rear fuselage can be used to house either another battery pack or a range extender.
This latter configuration was chosen by JetSuite, which will be using thus the hybrid jets: electric batteries working in conjunction with a gas turbine coupled with a generator. Electric motors are used to take the airplane to the sky and its destination.
The maximum cruise speed for the plane is not significantly faster than that of a hypercar, 340 mph (547 km/h). It can take off from a 2,200 feet runway (670 meters) and can land on a slightly longer one, 2,500 feet (762 meters).
The airplane has been configured to seat a maximum of 27 people, spread through economy, premium and executive classes.
According to Zunum, the electric plane would have an operating cost of $250 per hour, allowing for significant savings in ticket price.
Zunum is backed in its initiative by Boeing’s HorizonX. It hasn’t yet properly flown one of its creations but has plans to do so in 2019.
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