ZeroAvia, already deploying hydrogen as a main part of its flight program, is exploring the use of cryo-compressor technology to deliver more energy dense H2 for longer flights. If we think of gasoline or Diesel fuel as “Cream of Energy Soups,” we might understand their preeminence as energy carriers. A U. S. gallon (3.8 liters) of Gasoline for instance, contains about 33.4 kilowatt-hours of energy. Compare this to a state-of-the-art lithium battery, which tops out at around 0.5 kW-hrs. A Diesel engine might be able to convert 50 percent of that to useful work, with the rest going to waste heat. A gasoline engine fares even worse, extracting perhaps 30 percent as work and 70 percent as waste heat. Electric Motors, however, are highly energy efficient, some extracting up to 97 percent of a battery’s stored energy. If one uses hydrogen instead of batteries, one can reach parity with the amount of energy available to spin the propellers. As early …
ZeroAvia, Mitsubishi, and Alaska Airlines Power Up
A Different Type of Kitplane Green Aeronautics are moving beyond small beginnings into grander realms through ZeroAvia, Mitsubishi, and Alaska Airlines. Gabriel DeVault has flown two different electric airplanes of his own, a converted EarthStar Thundergull and a Sonex eXenos (which seems to be his daily commuter between Hollister, California and his home in Watsonville). Both have been featured prominently in his YouTube channel and your editor has written about them for Kitplanes magazine. Now, Gabriel is working on a different type of Kitplane at a much large scale. Gabriel managed research and design for the motor and related systems on the Zero electric motorcycle. The original unit has gone through several upgrades, and is now seen in variants from 27 to 110 horsepower. The company sold over 4,000 units last year in 30 countries including the United States. They look to build at an accelerated rate, hoping to double sales every year. He has taken that expertise to larger …