The first pylon race to feature all-electric aircraft is in the works for 2020, the organizers recently announced. Air Race E, an event-planning team based in Dubai, has “secured all the key components to make this vision a reality,” said CEO Jeff Zaltman. He said the pilots and venues are ready to go and aircraft are in development. “We are now just looking for the best powerplant and electrical systems for the job,” he said. The races will feature multiple airplanes on a closed circuit around pylons, close to the ground, and will be faster than any land-based sport, according to the Air Race E website.
Each airplane, driven by a propeller and powered only by an electric motor, is light and sleek and built solely for racing, according to the website. Air Race E says it has a dedicated test center where the race planes are being engineered, qualified test pilots and certified race pilots are ready to fly, and they are working with the official formula air-racing associations that sanction new races. Zaltman said he hopes the races will “drive the development and promotion of cleaner and faster electric aircraft.” Another race already is in the works for electric aircraft — a challenge to fly from Great Britain to Australia in an electric-powered airplane, set for next year.
