Electric Electron E5 Prototype Carded For 2027 First Flight Dutch start-up Electron Aviation is positioning itself to be able to field a test prototype of its future E5 Albatross aircraft. The test prototype is anticipated to take flight in 2027. The company is currently fundraising to help build the prototype aircraft and have it ready for that maiden flight. This is just the test prototype though. We have also noticed the design has changed slightly. Early iterations of the design had forward canards similar to the Piaggio P180 which they have now removed.
Other design changes include the Cross Tail being changed to a high T-Tail and the rear-wing mounted engines have been removed in favour of aft-fuselage mounted engines. This is the final form factor as the company says that it has passed the exterior concept design review. In terms of the forward canards being removed, the company suggested that after review it believes that the forward appendages offer unnecessary complexity with little to minimal gain in efficiencies to justify integrating them into the design.
The aircraft is designed as a five passenger aircraft. The E5 includes baggage capacity with the company looking at an allowance of approximately 1,100 lbs of total payload. The aircraft is fully electric which will provide its future guests with whisper-quiet cabin and operation. In terms of range, the company is pegging this on existing battery technology and projects a 405 nautical mile range that includes the reserve power.
A key feature of allowing the aircraft to be able to fly this distance with the current battery technologies include the carbon fiber construction of the fuselage which creates a strong but light structure. The efficiency-cost base of using this aircraft to an operator the company says it expects it to be even lower than the hourly operational cost of a Diamond DA-62 aircraft. Electron Aviation is still in the early days of its endeavours. For more information: Electron Aviation E3090, 700 Strevelsweg, 3083 AS Rotterdam, The Netherlands www.flyelectron.eu ***
