Potential and Limitations of Battery-Powered All-Electric Regional
Flights -- A Norwegian Case Study
Abstract
This paper aims to shed light on the possibility of first-generation
electric aviation in Norway by looking at both the potential and the
limitations of today’s technology while emphasizing Norway’s
geographical opportunities and unique regional network as a pioneer in
this field. Operating a flight distance up to 400 km would cover around
77 % of all domestic flights in Norway. In this work, the key factors
influencing the scalability of electric flight are investigated and
critically discussed, including battery technologies, propulsion
systems, aircraft designs, and important aspects of the flight profile.
A case study is presented based on five different flight distances in
Norway (from 77 km to 392 km) and two different aircraft bodies. Our
proposed framework is used to make detailed-level calculations for the
required power, energy, and battery state of charge. The results show
that slight energy density improvements in the battery technology would
facilitate the implementation of electric aircraft, rendering the
possibility of retrofitting already existing planes. However, other
alternatives, such as novel aircraft design and adjusted mission
profiles, are also viable options for complying with weight and power
capability requirements to scale up all-electric aircraft for distances
up to 400 km.