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In this infographic we explore research into the development of electric aircraft at the Whittle Laboratory. Companies have been working together to combine many different engineering disciplines into the design of this electric jet engine. The first prototype will be tested before the end of 2022 and the first commercial flights carrying passengers could occur by 2027.
Sources:
Brandon Graver, Kevin Zhang and Dan Rutherford, 2019, 'CO2 emissions from commercial aviation, 2018', The International Council on Clean Transportation.
'Can redesigning airplanes save the planet?', 26 May, 2021, BBC Design.
'UK Consortium Launches Project to Propel Next Generation of Electric Aircraft', Jan 28, 2021, BLUE BEAR.