Get ready to take off into a cleaner future of flying. The world's largest electric vehicle battery maker, CATL, just successfully tested a battery that powers a four-ton electric plane.
This groundbreaking development brings us closer to commercial electric aircraft that could significantly cut planet-overheating pollution from aviation, according to Electrek.
Gas-powered airplanes are a major source of the pollution causing our Earth to overheat. While flying is often the most time-efficient way to travel, it comes at a steep cost to our environment and health.
The airline industry is working hard to find cleaner alternatives, and these new ultra-high density batteries could be a catalyst for revolution.
CATL has been collaborating with partners like the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China to develop greener aircraft components, including batteries, engines, and propellers. Its new Condensed Battery boasts an impressive energy density of up to 500 watt-hours per kilogram in a single cell — double that of the average electric vehicle.
According to CATL, this supercharged battery is "opening up a brand-new electrification scenario of passenger aircraft." CATL's successful test flight of the four-ton electric aircraft powered by this battery marks a major milestone in the journey toward mass electrification of transportation.
But it's not stopping there.
The company has even bigger plans in the works. CATL expects to unveil an eight-ton electric aircraft for commercial use by 2028, with an impressive range of around 1,200 to 1,800 miles. That's enough to fly from New York City to Denver on a single charge.
While electric planes won't be taking over the skies overnight, this breakthrough puts us on the runway toward a future with cleaner air travel options. Fewer dirty fuel-powered planes means less pollution making our planet hotter and our weather more severe.
Whenever these eco-friendly electric aircraft become mainstream, you can feel great about choosing them for your travel plans. Not only will you be helping to reduce the pollution that harms our communities' health, but you'll also be part of the climate solution on a large scale.
As CATL and other innovators continue working to make flying cleaner and greener, the future of air travel is looking brighter and breezier. Keep your eyes on the skies because a new era of electric aviation is preparing for takeoff.
In the meantime, we can all do our part by supporting technologies and policies that help cut pollution and cool down our overheating planet. Every choice counts.
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