Take-off
New British battery to power electric Texas Colt A British company developing a new type of battery is working with aircraft manufacturer Texas Aircraft to produce an electric version of the Colt light sport aircraft. Oxis Energy, which has premises in Oxfordshire and Brazil, is producing a new Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) battery, which has greater capacity and is lighter than current Lithium-Ion. The eColt is based on the Colt two-seater which is already being made in Hondo, Texas. However, Texas Aircraft Manufacturing is actually the offshoot of a Brazilian team led by Matheus Grande. The company announced last year at Oshkosh that it was going to work with Siemens on electric propulsion for the Colt but the plan has changed. Matheus told FLYER, “We have now established a consortium with three big companies for the eColt Project: Oxis Energy, AKAER and WEG.
“We are now in the final process of establishing the mission profile of the eColt, with a special attention to address all flight schools’ needs. The Colt S-LSA is ideally suited for the training of commercial pilots. “Despite the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, over the next decade there will be a growing shortage of commercial pilots throughout the world. Free from the high polluting effects of the lead-based fuel used in aircraft today, the Texas Aircraft eColt will provide an efficient, clean mechanism for new pilots, while decreasing training costs substantially. “We will use the LithiumSulfur technology owned by Oxis. The use of sulfur as a non-conductive material provides enhanced safety and is superior to current Lithium-Ion
technology. Its 90kWh battery system, which is 40% lighter than current Li-Ion technology, will be powered by its ‘High Power’ cell at 400Wh/kg. “All of the aircraft’s key airframe and power components will be manufactured in Brazil, but our goal is to supply this product to all regions of the world, including using our American facility for that. “The e-aircraft will be designed and developed at the Texas Aircraft Manufacturing facility in Brazil. The Li-S battery cells will be made at the Oxis factory in Juiz de Fora. The powertrain will be supplied by WEG of Jaraguá do Sul. The battery and its Management System (BMS) will be provided by AKAER Group of São José dos Campos.” Oxis Energy’s Mark Crittenden recently published an in-depth article on the website of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), explaining how his company’s lightweight high energy density battery ‘pouches’ work.
Main Texas Colt light sport aircraft Above Cockpit is roomy and modern Below New LithiumSulfur battery ‘pouch’ from Oxis Energy
October 2020 | FLYER | 7
