Electric Aircraft

Private aviation’s booming. Critics say flying’s wrecking the planet. What are the facts—and what should we be doing (or not doing) right now?

Diamond Aircraft’s eDA40 can be recharged in about 20 minutes. You just can’t do it at your local Walmart.

Desaer’s ATL-100 has a Magnix electric motor for takeoff, and a gas engine for flight. The hybrid combo extends range and lowers fuel use.

Alice’s zero-carbon emissions and quietness are competitive pluses in the light-jet world, but the lower range and speed could be downsides.

Forget futuristic concepts and rocket scientists. After a few years of R&D, this scrappy German startup is already flying its eMagic One.

The 4Air is a stylized version of the 4L, one of Europe’s most popular economy cars. But this Renault can fly high over rush-hour traffic.

It also set three new world records, no less.

The personal aircraft has a top speed of 155 mph and a range of 110 miles.

Soar’s primary power will be battery-powered electric engines, but it will also burn liquid-hydrogen fuel to extend its range to three hours.