Air Race E’s first electric air race will take place in autumn 2020, at a host venue to be announced, with eight teams from Europe and North America vying for victory in their custom modified electric race aeroplanes
Air Race E CEO and Founder, Jeff Zaltman, believes the series will be a unifying platform for the development of cleaner, faster, more technologically advanced electric aircraft.
He said: “We’re proud to provide [these teams] with a platform to put their technology to the test and see far reaching benefits to the aviation industry as a whole as we edge closer to making commercial electric flight a reality.”
Team Condor, a UK team led by Martyn Wiseman of North Yorkshire, unveiled its electric race aircraft at the Dubai Airshow.
Martyn and his crew have spent the past months converting the Cassutt aircraft into a fully-electric racing machine, utilising a Contra Electric Propulsion twin motor/contra-rotating propeller unit.
The race will be the first in a series of head-to-head international air races, showcasing the skills, expertise and ingenuity of the best pilots and engineers around the world.
Unlike races operated on a time trial basis, Air Race E events will see eight aeroplanes fly simultaneously around a tight five kilometre circuit at just ten metres above the ground and at speeds of up to 450kph (real air racing?Ed).
Customised electric motors will enable the aircraft to fly with max continuous power of around 150kW, according to the electric formula.
Teams will make use of lithium batteries installed under the aeroplanes’ fuselage to provide power for five minutes of high intensity racing and around ten minutes of reserve flying at reduced power.
For further information and team profiles, see: airracee.com
