One ambitious startup is aiming to put passenger planes powered by electricity in the air within the next decade. Or, perhaps more realistically, in the next 20 years -- depending on battery technology advancements.
Wright Electric, an aircraft manufacturer startup based out of Massachusetts, debuted its idea for a no gas 150-seat plane at Tuesday's Y Combinator Demo Day in Silicon Valley as part of the incubator's bi-annual showcase of new startups.
SEE ALSO:80-year-old woman accidentally tries to carry a sword onto a planeThe barely one-year-old company hopes to corner the market in short-haul flights, like London to Paris or Boston to New York City, and announced a potential partnership with budget airline EasyJet out of the UK.
Wright Electric says 30 percent of flights are under 300 miles, which is a good distance for the battery-operated concept.
Tweet may have been deleted
In a blog post a week before Demo Day, the fledgling company hinted at the EasyJet deal and said that a "high net worth individual wants our electric 150-seater as his fifth private jet. Woo hoo!"
The company went on to spell out what needs to happen to make the idea a reality. The plane's shape and design won't be anything new since, according to Wright Electric, those components have already been mostly perfected.
It's the battery technology that will power the plane that needs to come together in the next decade.
It's the battery technology that will power the plane that needs to come together in the next decade. The company talked about a potential hybrid electric motor if battery advances don't continue on pace like they have for the past century.
Some experts are skeptical about the company's plans. Graham Warwick, an aviation expert from Aviation Weeklytold the BBC, "The battery technology is not there yet."
"It's projected to come but it needs a significant improvement," he added. "Nobody thinks that is going to happen anytime soon. And there's all the [safety] certification - those rules are yet to be created, and that takes time."
However, the company remains optimistic, and has been working with Chip Yates, who clocked the longest electric flight recorded at about 1,000 miles.
Also on display at the demo event was one of the startup's smaller two-seater planes powered by an electric battery.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
So in 10 years (maybe give it 20) we'll see if airlines are charging up their planes to get ready for take-off.
(责任编辑：知識)
Over 82,000 evacuate as Blue Cut fire rapidly spreads in southern California
SanDisk just released the most impressive microSD card
Mark Zuckerberg decries reported end of DACA in heartfelt Facebook postMark Zuckerberg decries reported end of DACA in heartfelt Facebook postMichael Phelps says goodbye to the pool with Olympic goldPhotos show the Blue Cut fire blazing a path of destruction in California
A fast moving wildfire continued raging near San Bernadino, California, forcing the evacuation of at
...[详细]Game of Thrones: Has George R.R. Martin been teasing Jon's real name?
Now that Game of Throneshas finally revealed Jon Snow's real name (Aegon Targaryen) fans have starte
...[详细]SanDisk just released the most impressive microSD card
SanDisk just announced its biggest microSD card yet--but it doesn't come cheap. The world's first 40
...[详细]Eric Trump doubts CNN will cover his dad's donation after CNN repeatedly covered it
Eric Trump doesn't trust the lamestream media to cover his dad's truly terrific, just wonderful deed
...[详细]When Honda revealed its stunning and grandparent-scaring Civic Hatchback Prototype earlier this year
...[详细]'Stranger Things' creators: Change your TV settings NOW
Have you ever seen one of your favorite movies playing on a TV in a store and thought to yourself, "
...[详细]The 8 best gadgets from Berlin's IFA 2017 technology show
Europe's largest technology show, IFA, kicked off early this week in Berlin. Running until Sept. 6,
...[详细]'GTA Online' is finally getting its very own battle royale game mode
The free "Smuggler's Run" update came to GTA Onlineon Tuesday, and with it was a new way to play tha
...[详细]This chart shows just how high Simone Biles can jump
American gymnast Simone Biles has dominated the Rio Olympics with five medals (four of them gold) bu
...[详细]Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have reportedly welcomed a baby girl
Serena Williams isn't playing in the U.S. Open this year, but she's still making headlines -- albeit
...[详细]Tourist survives for month in frozen New Zealand wilderness after partner dies
Star Wars: Jedi Challenges has made holochess an (augmented) reality
