Perhaps just an “artist’s impression” and not actually a design?
The ‘artist’ probably has no exposure to GA and has only seen ‘Airbus engines’.
Um no, isn’t it basically the E-fan which they demonstrated at Farnborough?
I would imagine that starting commercial pilots off on a twin jet – albeit an electric one – could have something to be said for it.
Flying Magazine article:
“Weighing in at a little over 100 pounds, the new motor delivers a continuous output of 260 kilowatts (the gasoline-piston engine equivalent of about 350 hp), compared with just 60 kw for an electric motor tested in flight by Siemens, Airbus and Diamond Aircraft last year.”
Read more at http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/siemens-unveils-260-kw-electric-aircraft-motor#dw8kruzuD1Ho9Oue.99
That looks like a fairly normal 3 phase (or 6 phase – are there six cables?) brushless motor, with loads of poles.
But the motor size or weight has never been the issue, in cars or planes. It is the battery… so the statement
is IMHO nonsense.
“This innovation will make it possible to build series hybrid-electric aircraft with four or more seats,” said Frank Anton, head of eAircraft at Siemens Corporate Technology, the company’s central research unit.
If you look at the keyword “hybrid-electric”, it’s no longer nonsense. Totally different airframes are possible when the combustion engine no longer has to be near the propellers. Look at Diamond’s cretin aircraft for example. For takeoff, you take a combustion engine generator + moderate battery and for cruise the generator only.
I think reducing the engine weight by a factor of 4ish can help, even if in aviation weight has never been the issue. Metal-air batteries can do the rest.
The way I read it:
1) re: 4000pounds aircraft: this is more related to the 260kw power as compared to previous 60kw electric aero engines
2) power to weight: they claim improvement from 1kw/kg (industrial) and 2kw/kg (auto) to 5kw/kg, and at right rpm
a) this is definitively improvement over e.g. http://www.yasamotors.com/products/yasa-400/
b) high power to weight might be relevant for hybrids, significantly reducing weight penalty for having both IC and electric engine
3) electric might also solve the problems of long shaft and balance issues if installing pusher propeller at the very back of the aircraft
A 4 seater with ~100kw cruise power and 260kw takeoff does not need long runways, even if fully loaded with four american size adults and luggage …
A 4 seater with ~100kw cruise power and 260kw takeoff does not need long runways, even if fully loaded with four american size adults and luggage …
Alternatively, one can sacrifice the takeoff performance and gain the range by increasing MTOW and taking more batteries aboard – e.g. put it into a Cessna 210 airframe and replace two seats with 200 kg of batteries.
