Once a Joke, Battery-Powered Airplanes Are Nearing Reality
Aerospace companies are working on hybrid electric airplanes, and the earliest versions will likely arrive before the end of the decade.
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/516576/once-a-joke-battery-powered-airplanes-are-nearing-reality/
To get a 25% decrease in fuel usage is quite amazing, the article indicates that up to 50% might be feasible which goes beyond amazing to incredible. Fuel is by far the greatest expense in air travel so the idea of cutting fuel costs in half could have a dramatic impact on the cost of travel. If they could only produce the super capacitors they keep talking about we could do away with the limitations of batteries and all sorts of alternatives start to make a lot of sense.
