What this idiot doesn’t seem to realize is that there’s already been an all-electric, solar-powered airplane that circumnavigated the planet — flying 25,000 miles — in 2018.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/inside-first-solar-powered-flight-around-world-180968000/
Electric motors make perfect sense in propeller-driven airplanes because big propellers are more efficient than small propellers. But you need LOTS of torque (not horsepower) to spin a big blade with LOTS of pitch (so tip speed remains clear of the speed of sound), and that’s where electric motors shine, because they make maximum torque at ANY AND ALL RPMs.
What DOESN’T make sense is electric storage batteries. Better off with something like hydrogen fuel cells. If they were spending just a fraction of the money they’ve blown on exotic electric storage batteries to develop better HFCs, we’d already have HFC-powered transportation ready for the mass market.
“But you need LOTS of torque (not horsepower)”
I think you mean to say lots of torque at low RPM.
” because they make maximum torque at ANY AND ALL RPMs.”
Each type of motor has a characteristic torque curve. None make max torque at all RPMs.