NASA's Latest X-Plane is Electric
The X Plane: X-57 Maxwell Source: NASA image Experimental High Performance Plane NASA has developed a fully electric plane, the X-57 Maxwell. It has twelve small motors and two cruise motors, all on its wings. The aircraft is experimental but it's performance is outstanding. NASA has optimized it for high performance cruising. X-57 is powered by two 400 pound lithium-ion battery packs in the plane's cabin. The battery packs contain 23 kilowatt hours of power. This is NASA's first piloted X-Plane in 20 years. Cost Saving, Green Electric Flying The X-57 is a research platform for NASA to develop and optimize e-flying technology. NASA says the X-57 provides a 500% increase in high speed cruising efficiency. The propulsion system saves $165 per hour compared to a combusion engine. And, it cuts the hourly operating cost of energy from 45% to 9%. Test Flight The X-57 will undergo its