Battery challenges continue for eVTOL aircraft developers

Tripathy explained that "20 to 30% of energy reserves are untouchable because a lot of power is needed to land the aircraft." This requires multiple batteries for running electric motors. Manufacturers and operators must manage battery usage to support commercially viable services like high-density air taxi flights. "Ideally, batteries would all be around the same age and gradually run down together," Tripathy noted.

About:Energy seeks to assist the industry in understanding complex considerations around batteries through advanced prototyping and accurate modeling of battery performance factors such as degradation during their lifecycle.

Manufacturers often question useful life and timelines for changing out batteries when seeking proposals for purchase. “Depending on how you manage the batteries, the answers are different,” Tripathy explained. Slower recharging rates can impact daily missions but might be better overall.

According to Tripathy, operators might replace batteries every three to twelve months at costs five to ten times higher than automotive or motorsports batteries. This situation suggests a need for a power-by-the-hour or battery-as-a-service model so operators do not bear this burden alone.

At their end-of-life in AAM service, these relatively new batteries could find second lives in other applications with auxiliary components having multiple owners over time.

Breakthroughs in battery technology are ongoing from companies like MagniX. However, questions remain about what will come next and when it will be available for upgrade. “It is difficult to know when to upgrade batteries," concluded Tripathy, indicating a potential five- to ten-year horizon depending on certification processes involving chemistry or form factor shifts.

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