This week, aviation has another reason to be proud. Inspired by a $1.65 million NASA prize for efficient aircraft, two electric planes managed to fly 200 miles, at 100MPH, on the equivalent of less than half a gallon of fuel per passenger. Pipistrel USA’s Taurus G4 (pictured above) nabbed the Green Flight Challenge first prize for managing 403.5 MPG and took home a $1.35 million check, while the rival e-Genius — with an efficiency rating of 375.8 MPG — only obtained $130,000 for its nearly equivalent efforts. Out of fourteen original teams, only three made it to the final competition, but these two doubled NASA’s efficiency requirements for the challenge; originally, a full gallon of gas per passenger would have been acceptable. Not bad, right? Now imagine this: in 1994, “the world’s most efficient aircraft” got just 48 miles to the gallon.
Two airplanes fly 200 miles on half a gallon equivalent, one wins $1.35 million from NASA
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
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