Tuesday 2 October 2018

Hydrogen plane looks to gain serious altitude

A Singapore-based aviation firm is developing a hydrogen-powered plane it says will offer zero emission flights.

HES Energy Systems' Element One uses 'ultra-light' hydrogen fuel cells and can be refuelled in less than 10 minutes using an automated 'nacelle swap system'.

The company aims to develop its first flying prototype before 2025.

The plane is designed to carry just four passengers at distances of between 500 and 5,000 kilometres, depending on whether its hydrogen fuel is stored in gaseous or liquid form.

HES Energy Systems claims the plane is "several orders of magnitude" better than any battery-electric aircraft - its Founder, Taras Wankewycz said: “Element One’s design paves the way for renewable hydrogen as a long-range fuel for electric aviation.”