Aviation Start-up Wants to Make Electric Planes by 2022
*By Madison Alworth*
As electric carmakers seek to re-engineer our driving future, the aviation start-up Zunum Aero is looking to cut down on the [53 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile](http://blueskymodel.org/air-mile) that jet engines spew into the atmosphere.
"The automotive guys have made amazing progress in lightweight motors, convertors, batteries," said Matt Knapp, co-founder and chief technology officer of Zunum Aero."We're picking that up, we're pushing that lighter, we're pushing it to higher power, and that's what we're doing."
The aviation start-up engineers hybrid-electric and fully electric airplane engines and has received financial support from Boeing HorizonX and JetBlue Technology Ventures. Zunum is planning to have its first electric plane in the air by 2022 for customers looking for high-speed, low-cost, technologically innovative air travel.
"We're dealing with businesses who know the absolute value of operating an airplane," Knapp said. "The hybrid-electric gives 60-80 percent lower direct operating costs than other airplanes."
The first Zunum Aero hybrid-electric planes will be part of the JetSuite fleet, a private plane company. Zunum Aero is aiming to start test flights in 2019.
Knapp said the challenge of engineering efficient and predictable electric jet engines is different from cars because planes follow direct routes. "They're going to save a lot of money and they are going to know how much battery they'll have upon arrival," Knapp said.
However planes frequently experience delays, can sit on the tarmac for minutes or hours at a time, and can circle airports as they wait for clearance to land, eating up fuel now and, presumably, battery life in the future.
Still, Knapp said the environmental benefits would be significant, because electric engines could, "take down the emission for the short-haul flights 100 percent if you're pure electric on shorter flights ー 50, 60, 70 percent on longer flights."
Zunum Aero plans to first start with commercial flights for small planes, seating between 9 and 12 passengers.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/flying-in-electric-planes-by-2022).
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