Posted on 11/08/2023 10:46:48 AM PST by Red Badger
(Bloomberg) -- Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s third-biggest automaker by sales, plans to build a facility in the US where its air mobility division Supernal will make flying electric taxis intended to be used by commuters.
A prototype of the electric vertical take-off and landing craft will be shown at CES in Las Vegas in January, Supernal Chief Executive Officer Shin Jaiwon said.
The eVTOL taxi will be capable of flying at 120 miles an hour (190 kph) and have capacity for one pilot and four passengers. December 2024 is the target for a test flight, with ambitions to start commercial service four years later, Shin said in an interview this week with Bloomberg News in Singapore.
“Considering all the battery technology and all the infrastructure and regulation to come along, it’s going to take some time,” he said.
Batteries are the biggest technical challenge for electric air mobility, accounting for up to 40% of an eVTOL craft’s weight. “That’s really the killer,” Shin said.
“From the operation side, we don’t have air traffic management systems to govern these vehicles,” he said. “Up until this point, even the foreseeable future, we don’t have man-made objects flying routinely below 500 meters.”
Next Steps
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
What could possibly go wrong?........................
“Batteries are the biggest technical challenge for electric air mobility, accounting for up to 40% of an eVTOL craft’s weight. “That’s really the killer,” Shin said.
“From the operation side, we don’t have air traffic management systems to govern these vehicles,” he said. “Up until this point, even the foreseeable future, we don’t have man-made objects flying routinely below 500 meters.”
But you’re building a factory anyways.
F=MA
Only example I can think of is the flying Taxi from the movie “The Fifth Element.” I don’t think I’d feel comfortable trying it.
Flaming Taxis dropping on our heads , Great
The lift:
L = 1/2 V2 S CL, where 1/2 V2 is air density times true airspeed resulting in dynamic energy, S is wing area, and CL is the coefficient of lift.
This stuff is easy in Sci-Fi movies ,LOL
SNORT!! Way to express yourself, Mr. Shin! Couldn't have said it better myself.
The batteries are VERY HEAVY
“But you’re building a factory anyways.”
Look for the government subsidies. The government will provide a billion dollar loan that the company will walk away from, JUST LIKE Orsted killing Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2. Just like Solyndra. Just like hundreds and hundreds of others.
NOT a Babylon Bee headline; i repeat: NOT a Babylon Bee headline ...
“L = 1/2 V2 S CL, where 1/2 V2 is air density times true airspeed resulting in dynamic energy, S is wing area, and CL is the coefficient of lift.”
You have no density term.
V2 =velocity ^ 2
Specific Energy (MJ/kg):
Jet Fuel: 43
LiOn Batteries: 0.36 - 0.88
LiOn Batteries: 1.6 (with silicon nanowire anodes)
Zinc-Air Batteries: 1.6
Lead-Acid Batteries: 0.2
Another poster pointed out that your aircraft weight goes down as you consume fuel on your flight, but battery weight does not change. That further contributes to inefficiencies in battery powered flight.
This is another liberal solution looking for a problem to solve.
The military has flying tankers to “recharge” fighters, so why not flying batteries to recharge flying electric taxis?
“It is utterly ridiculous to consider batteries for air flight.”
Economics:
Fuel savings
Lower Maintenance costs
“But you’re building a factory anyways.”
This tells us that there’s a perverse incentive, be it taxes or subsidies.
We have air taxis now. They’re called helicopters.
If an ICE powered vehicle crashes the fuel fire lasts about twenty minutes. A battery fire will last much longer and get to 3500 degrees for up to 24 hours. I can’t see the FAA allowing these things in the air.
d...There, stick it in there any place.........
” I can’t see the FAA allowing these things in the air.”
————FAA-——————
A new era of aviation is taking off. What once seemed only real in movies or cartoons is happening. Our job is to ensure this new generation of air taxis maintains the high level of safety that defines commercial aviation today.
What is this new aviation era?
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is an umbrella term for aircraft that are likely highly automated and electric. These aircraft are often referred to as air taxis or electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Ok, I’m in.
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