Dutch-based Elysian exits stealth mode; develops 90-passenger e-aircraft that can fly 800 km on batteries alone
Summary
Delft-based Elysian, an aerospace startup, on Wednesday, announced new research findings that demonstrate the viability of battery-electric air travel on a larger scale, in collaboration with Delft University of Technology. Founded by Rob Wolleswinkel, Reynard de Vries, and Daniel Rosen Jacobson and backed by Panta Holdings and Caravelle, Elysian is developing the first-ever 90-passenger, battery-electric aircraft with the potential to travel 800 km. According to Elysian, revised calculations, based on new design principles, signal a paradigm shift in the potential of battery electric flight. Two scientific papers, ‘A new perspective on battery-electric aviation, part I and II,’ authored by Rob Wolleswinkel, Reynard de Vries, Maurice Hoogreef, and Roelof Vos, challenge existing notions. “Contrary to common belief, large battery-electric aircraft can carry much more energy and are aerodynamically more efficient than originally assumed,” says Elysian Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Rob Wolleswinkel.