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Chip Yates breaks yet another record, notches 202MPH in world’s fastest electric flight (video)

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Chip Yates breaks yet another record, notches 202MPH in world's fastest electric flight

Chip Yates is a speed junkie in the truest sense. After nabbing the title for world's fastest EV motorcycle in April of 2011, the self-proclaimed "green technology innovator" is at it again. This time, Yates was able to conquer the sky above using the Long-ESA EV craft he and his Flight of the Century team engineered using a Burt Rutan Long-EZ and proprietary Infinite Range battery tech. The record-breaking flight in question took off from Inyokern Airport on July 19, achieving a top speed of 202.6MPH and solidifying Yates' place in the pantheon of electric enthusiasts. You can head past the break to check out a brief video snippet of the successful mission in action, but fair warning: it's not as exciting as you'd imagine. We're guessing it's one of those things you'd have to be there (in the cockpit) to appreciate.

Continue reading Chip Yates breaks yet another record, notches 202MPH in world's fastest electric flight (video)

Chip Yates breaks yet another record, notches 202MPH in world's fastest electric flight (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 05:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electric plane performs taxi tests as prelude to transatlantic attempt (video)

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Long ESA electric taxi test

EV flyer Long-ESA has started high-speed taxi tests on its quest to become the first electric airplane to cross the Atlantic. Using a Long-EZ kit plane designed by Burt Rutan as a platform for the volts-only powertrain, the Flight of the Century project is the brainchild of electric enthusiast Chip Yates, who already holds the speed record of 190MPH on an EV motorcycle. The developer's plan is to use a fleet of five drones to dock with the main Long-ESA ship and exchange batteries in mid-air, giving it enough juice to make the trip. Successful ground trials should lead to flight tests later this month, with the transatlantic attempt slated for 2014, followed by EV airplane speed and altitude attempts, to boot. It remains to be seen if the complex plan might result in commercial electric aviation as Yates predicts -- but judging by the video after the break it'll be fun to watch them try.


Continue reading Electric plane performs taxi tests as prelude to transatlantic attempt (video)

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Electric plane performs taxi tests as prelude to transatlantic attempt (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceYouTube (Chip Yates)  | Email this | Comments