Are you ready to trust your battery to take you up in the Air?

[jssailem]

Maybe Michael. Probably a lithium ion battery. Those so far have not proven to be good on boats. Tend to have fire issues if not cared for and replacement windows are still short. At least the technology is developing..

I just wonder how the ‘Clean Energy’ theory is going to hold up. Perhaps here in the Pacific NW with all the hydro power generation but in Texas where the best bang for the buck to produce electricity is Natural Gas, the clean energy carbon free foot print gets a bit murky. Then there is the issue of battery manufacturing. I have suspicions about the ‘carbon foot print’ of such process and maybe carbon but Lithium acquisition, refining, transport to manufacturing sights.

But if you discount all that background, you have clean energy performance in comparison to fossil fuel engines.

 

[Michael Davis]

I was being a little "tongue in cheek" with that John but it must mean that batteries are progressing too. The batteries are coming from Seattle so no carbon foot print here!!!!! Much like us selling our natural gas and blaming the carbon on someone else. I have no idea what the carbon footprint in battery manufacturing is.

 

[Michael Davis]

Tend to have fire issues if not cared for

I think I'd rather have the fire on my boat then in my aeroplane. I don't have a dinghy on the plane.

 

[jssailem]

I have decided I don’t want to have uncontrollable fire on either conveyance.

 

[Michael Davis]

I'm with you!!!!

 

[Michael Davis]

So, a very successful test of a battery powered DHC-2 Beaver the other day. The test pilot was surprised at how fast it got off the water. Now a couple of years of testing before they can use it for passenger flights.

 

[VanIslandGuy]

I'm a professional pilot and have flown on Harbour Air who are doing these test flights as a passenger numerous times. They are a great company, with a very safety oriented flight operations department. When they get the electric powerplant approved for commercial use I will gladly be one of their first passengers. For short hop flights that they do, electrics make a lot of sense. Especially if they can swap out batteries while at base between flights and have them charge while the airplanes are out working.

 

[Will Gilmore]

The future's so bright...I gotta .

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Will Gilmore]

Orphiro
Dutch designed electric motorcycle with a 60 mile range at 120 kph (75 mph).

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Michael Davis]

Dutch designers electric motorcycle

....But will it fly???

 

[Brian D]

Depends on which exploding battery they choose. Samsung or Tesla.

 

[Will Gilmore]

....But will it fly???

It only needs to look like it'll fly,
and that it does.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Orphiro
Dutch designed electric motorcycle with a 60 mile range at 120 kph (75 mph).

-Will (Dragonfly)

Beautiful sculpture... but after 60 miles on that seat your balls fall off.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Maybe Michael. Probably a lithium ion battery. Those so far have not proven to be good on boats. Tend to have fire issues if not cared for and replacement windows are still short. At least the technology is developing..

I just wonder how the ‘Clean Energy’ theory is going to hold up. Perhaps here in the Pacific NW with all the hydro power generation but in Texas where the best bang for the buck to produce electricity is Natural Gas, the clean energy carbon free foot print gets a bit murky. Then there is the issue of battery manufacturing. I have suspicions about the ‘carbon foot print’ of such process and maybe carbon but Lithium acquisition, refining, transport to manufacturing sights.

But if you discount all that background, you have clean energy performance in comparison to fossil fuel engines.

The info in these videos by Jason Fenske address a lot of that. Jason is a very bright young man who is influencing my understanding about EV vs other methods of propulsion. (However, I don’t think he’s transparent enough about his sources, in many cases, e.g. “reviewed 12 studies” without citations).

there’s a lot of wishful thinking in this last one (about recycling old batteries). Could they? Are they? Theory vs practice is key here and I don’t think Jason answers the question posed in his title. I read that Tesla is doing that but don’t know how far along they are in making it efficient vs. processing new materials. And the economy of recovery for massive car batteries is different than for the millions of small cells used in other devices... what about all the other batteries worldwide?

 

[jssailem]

what about all the other batteries worldwide?

Good question. I just had to replace a lead acid battery on my wife's car. They charged a $15 core charge to induce me to return the battery to them. I assume it is so they can recycle the battery, recover the lead, throw away the plastic case and do what with the acid electrolytes?

What happens in India? I can guess but I do not know. Do they have a core charge? $15 is a lot of money in some parts of India.

 

[Will Gilmore]

and do what with the acid electrolytes?

Amino acids and electrolytes.

Ya think, maybe?

-Will (Dragonfly)