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Prototype electric plane crash kills two pilots
An electric plane powered by Siemens has crashed in southern Hungary, killing both pilots aboard, according to Siemens and local reports. The Magnus eFusion aircraft was flown as part of an inauguration for Magnus' new headquarters, but crashed near the airport after performing several circuits, police said. The eFusion is still a prototype, but Magnus, based in Hungary, plans to eventually commercialize and sell it for around $200,000.
PC-Aero ready to fly the Elektra One, Germany's latest electric-powered plane
Germany started with electric cars and bikes, and now it's taking things to the air with the PC-Aero Elektra One. This single-seat ultralight plane has a composite airframe, 16-kilowatt motor with a range of 400 kilometers and a max flight time of three hours. At a cruising speed of 160 km/h (about 99 mph for us anglophiles), the aircraft won't be setting any speed records, but given that it's being designed as an eco-friendly way to enjoy "leisure aviation," you should've expected it to travel at a leisurely pace, indeed. The Elektra One hasn't taken to the air just yet, but PC-Aero plans to perform the first flight test later this month, so we can look forward to seeing another electric plane flying overhead in the near future. Check the video after the break to see and hear the future of aviation for yourself.
