A new startup supported and backed by the U.S. government is reportedly planning to bring a new and innovative type of electric charge into the skies that could eventually reduce harmful pollution from the aviation industries.
On Dec 10, Meave Aerospace BV with its support from the Dutch government, the European Investment Council, and other private investors, is on its way in developing a hybrid-electric plane that can host 80 passengers.
“The aircraft is designed to support the future of the regional aviation market, delivering a de carbonized, low-energy solution with regional jet performance and turbo-prop economics,” the company said in an email to Bloomberg.
Toyota Prius is credited for helping make the technology mainstream on the ground in the early 2000s even though the first hybrid-electric vehicle was introduced back in 1901, soon after which Tesla entered the market with its fully electric vehicles.
The transportation in the skies have been a different story however as use of electricity thousands of feet above the ground poses various type of challenges and many limitations. The current battery technology being limited as it is and the aircraft body design were the major limitations that were faced.
In 2022, the first all-electric passenger flight took place as the Eviation plane completed its 8-min flight. The aircraft had an estimated range of around 500 miles which was a great success as other companies have also seen great success with shorter-range flights.
Meave Aerospace BV hybrid aircraft on the other hand will be able to fly for more than 900 miles after which it will be required to land, thanks in part to a “40% higher energy efficiency,” per Bloomberg.
Currently, aviation is responsible for around 2.5% of all carbon pollution that is linked and is involved directly in the overheating and global warming phenomenon of our planet eventually causing much health concerns such as asthma as well.
The Dutch startup claims to make a similar planet-friendly transition as of the land transportation sector, which has saved huge sums of money while being equally reliable and Eco-friendly. They plan to have its plane ready for travelers by 2031