Electric Planes Take Off
Unsung Science
CBS News
4.9 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 24 November 2023
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Planes contribute 9% of the world’s carbon pollution, but electrifying them has always seemed impossible; batteries have never been powerful or light enough to carry themselves. But in 2023, batteries reached a tipping point in power and weight. Beta Technologies, based in Vermont, is flying its six-passenger vertical-takeoff airplanes every day. David Pogue was there at takeoff.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Everybody knows there's no such thing as an electric plane. Sure we've got |
| 0:07.2 | electric cars but you need a lot more power to lift a plane into the air than just |
| 0:12.4 | to push a car along a road and batteries are just too heavy. |
| 0:16.0 | Too bad because planes contribute 9% of the world's carbon pollution. |
| 0:21.0 | People have said from the beginning, this is crazy, this doesn't work, but every year batteries get |
| 0:25.8 | better and better. |
| 0:26.8 | So you think before you and I die that we will fly on an electric powered jet liner? |
| 0:33.0 | Yes, absolutely. |
| 0:34.6 | No question. |
| 0:35.6 | Last month, Beta Technologies cut the ribbon |
| 0:38.0 | on its new factory, the first electric plane plant |
| 0:41.5 | outside of China, where it will begin manufacturing |
| 0:44.4 | its six-person vertical takeoff all-electric plane a plane that's already flown |
| 0:51.0 | 25,000 miles in testing and racked up orders from UPS, Air New |
| 0:56.0 | Zealand and the US military. I'm David Pove and this is Unsung Science. unsung science. |
| 1:15.1 | Hi everyone, I'm Drew Barrymore, host of, well, the Drew Barrymore host of well the Drew Barrymore show and welcome to the Drew Barrymore show podcast stream from the car the train the shower |
| 1:21.8 | wait what that doesn't work. |
| 1:23.0 | Well, you never know. |
| 1:24.0 | Whatever you're in do. |
| 1:26.0 | Just take a moment to see the sunny side of life with us. |
| 1:30.0 | I can't wait to go on this journey together. |
| 1:33.5 | Here's the new episodes of the Drew Barrymore Show Podcast every day, Monday, through Friday. |
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