I've looked at the lowest end on Electrics... it's a money issue there too.
Looking only at ultralight trikes, Pt. 103 legal. In particular, one you can soar with and not just cruise the local valley.
With 5 gallons of fuel, range is not awe inspiring, but call it a max of 2 hours @ 45mph?
Which is what is claimed for the Electra Flyer Trike.
ElectraFlyer.com - Price List
Electric runs about $!0k for chassis, wing, motor. PLUS battery pack & charger $9-9.5K. Total just under $20k for comparable range. Add an extra $9K for a spare battery and you have a pretty good day of local soaring. Or a 35 mile out... and return, then soaring in the afternoon.
A comparable IC version would be the ATF from Northwing.
North Wing · Light Sport Aircraft, Ultralight Trike & Wing Prices · Amateur Build Kits
$13-14K complete with engine.
So..... less than twice the price ( impressive for bleeding edge tech ) and the recharge time problem, but much quieter, and you get to play holier than thou.
I don't know what tech snobbery is worth to You, so do your own math. ( It's worth SOMETHING, or no one would build a "your trigger word here" .)
It's not about tech snobbery or holier than thou.
Look at an operating cost comparison, not just initial purchase, it is an increasingly compelling story for electric propulsion .. electrical energy recharge cost is a small fraction of gasoline fuel cost per kWh.
Look at maintenance and replacement costs.. batteries don't last forever, but neither do piston rings, starters, heads, cranks, rods, spark plugs, belts, cams, gaskets, hoses, oil pumps, fuel pumps, ignition systems, exhaust systems. etc.
Look at the reliability of cold in-flight restarts (like motorgliders) .. huge advantage for electrics there... instant full power available.
Look how many carb-icing accidents could be avoided.
Look at the very low vibration and noise of electric motors, allowing a more pleasant piloting experience on light, high-powered aircraft, with less critical engine mounting and more propeller choices .. better relations with airport neighbors too.
Look at high altitude performance.. gasoline engines loose power when they gain altitude.. electric power is essentially unaffected by altitude .. more power to clear mountains, avoid weather, and/or operate out of higher elevation airfields.
And future prospects for better battery technology with lower initial costs & longer lifetimes are excellent, so your performance and economics get better every year.
I used to turn my nose up at electric plane prospects too, but advancing technology keeps making electric planes more and more appealing.
So much so that I recently decided to go to electric propulsion on my motorglider project.
Electric propulsion is obviously not for every airplane, or every aircraft mission today .. particularly long-range, long-duration.. but fuel cell advances in a few years may change all that too.
Electric planes are here now, and their implementation is growing fast .. stubborn attitudes about their worth will either change, or become increasingly incorrect.
Keep saying "not yet," and you may be left behind.
