Many people believe that electric aviation can replace our oil-based transport with a system that is faster, cleaner and cheaper using existing technology. Electricity may come from fuel cells, solar cells, ultracapacitors, power beaming, or batteries.
Though only small companies and entrepreneurs are currently making fully electric airplanes, larger manufacturers such as Boeing Co. and Airbus are investigating how to electrify portions of aircraft operations as the push for bigger, faster and farther yields to cheaper, quieter and greener. One example is the auxiliary power unit in commercial aircraft. The device, usually located in the tail, is a generator that provides electricity to the plane when it's on the ground and gives power to start the main engines. Boeing and Airbus are experimenting also with electric landing gear that allow aircraft to turn, taxi and reverse on their own power without a truck to push the plane back from the gate. These systems can also integrate regenerative braking so that the energy from slowing a landing aircraft could charge batteries.
Electric aircraft could be useful as trainers for pilots because the aircraft are cheap to operate and trainers seldom venture far enough to test range limits. Defense contractors are also pursuing electric drivetrains to make stealthier unmanned aerial vehicles that have a minimal heat signature. They could also be charged on the fly from photovoltaic panels.
Electric aircraft will not replace any other forms of transportation in the future, but with such advancements of technology, people will be more likely to fly, rather than drive long distances.