Would you get on an electric plane? You, perhaps, take longer. The goods, on the other hand, no. DHL already believes in the electric airplane. That’s how it is.
For some time, electric mobility has become the main technology to be standardized in the market. The high levels of pollution have caused the Public Administrations of many cities to are putting a stop to fossil fuels. This, of course, will end up prevailing, too, in the aviation sector for obvious reasons.
After all, a commercial aircraft pollutes much more than hundreds of vehicles on the road within the city. This will have a great impact in the coming years when it comes to catching a flight. Will we move from one country to another without emitting polluting particles? There are several projects for electric aircraft, but they are still prototypes in development.
The electric plane will be a reality sooner rather than later
Now, why are companies like DHL already working on transporting orders through alternative air means? This firm has just shown the public how it will soon begin to carry out small shipments through this ‘green’ solution. Thanks to this, it is expected that tons of CO2 particles don’t end up swarming through the air.
The improvement of batteries is the main reason that has led these types of companies to value new forms of transport. Even so, it is expected that there will still be a few years left for the first shipment to take place. Everything also suggests that the protagonist will be the Alice eCargo, an aircraft created in recent years that is in one of the last stages of development.
Let’s see, therefore, what are the main qualities of this curious aircraft that is committed to sustainability, why it is a very interesting option from a technical point of view and, of course, what can we expect from a technology which stands out, above all, for reducing the carbon footprint in one of the most polluting sectors that exist today.
Alice eCargo, the electric plane that DHL hopes to have to ship
As can be read in the specialized portal New Atlas, we are faced with a proposal that, over time, has been modifying the different dynamic performances. This is logical, since the first information was only available after studies carried out on paper. Now, everything is very different.
Today the data is more realistic than the first impressions shown some time ago. The first thing that should be noted is that this variant will be available for the DHL Express division, that is, the unit specialized in shorter distance shipments. After all, this plane will cover distances of just a few hundred kilometers.
This plane will have a lower maximum speed than the classic airplanes of today
Its autonomy, however, is not bad considering its benefits. As can be read in the aforementioned portal, each unit that is expected to be produced will be able to cover a total distance of about 815 theoretical kilometers. It will be necessary to be very foresighted, therefore, to ensure that the minimum battery available will be available to get to the desired airport.
This has been possible thanks to having a set of batteries up to 820 kWh. Well, what limitations does it have in terms of benefits? At cruising speed, it will be possible to reach up to 407 km / h, a record much lower than any other means of transport based on fossil fuels. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that the cost will eventually offset the extra time spent on the air.
An airplane created to transport goods for companies
DHL will be the first company to use the service offered by Alice eCargo, but the truth is that other companies will sign up in the near future. After all, it is a vehicle designed mainly for carrying out the transport of goods. Now, what can we highlight from the recently developed bet?
Saving the distances with respect to the legal regime, It is designed so that a single pilot can transport up to a maximum of 1,200 kilograms of weight. However, this is not its main hallmark, since the charging time is estimated to allow an additional hour of flight to be obtained for every half hour of charging. Only in this way is it understood that we are facing a viable alternative in the sector.
The first unit destined for DHL is expected to be delivered by 2024. Until then, tests will be carried out to make sure that we are before a safe and reliable alternative. After all, millions of euros are at stake when it comes to betting on a product of these characteristics. And you, would you get on a plane that had an electric motor as a propeller?