This new electric vehicle battery could power future air travel

3d illustration of an electric airliner

A Chinese battery manufacturer has unveiled designs of an electric vehicle battery (EVB) that is says could power electric aircraft over 1,000 kilometres on a single charge.

Chinese Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), a company responsible for one third of the world’s EVB’s, released the designs at an auto expo in Shanghai and said mass production will begin later this year.

Small aircraft are currently fitted with electric systems that operate at 250-270Wh/kg of specific energy, this number needs to reach around 400-500Wh/kg for electric aviation to become effective.

“You need a battery that can deliver power for take-off,” professor of engineering, UNSW, John Fletcher, told the ABC.

“The kind of ratios of power that you need to take off and the power to cruise are about 3 to 1.”

CATL hasn’t yet released this detail about the new battery but says its partnering with a number of companies to develop aircraft specific batteries with the technology.

In its current state, CATL says the new battery has the power for an electric car to drive from Sydney to Melbourne in one trip, rather than stopping multiple times to recharge as is currently the way.

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