Culham battery tech partners with Texas aircraft manufacturer on electric innovation

By Nicky Godding

23 July 2020

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The Culham Science Centre-based Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) battery technology company, OXIS Energy is working with Texas Aircraft Manufacturing to develop a high-wing, all metal, fully electric aircraft.

Based on Texas Aircraft’s popular Colt S-LSA (see image), the eColt will have a comfortable two-seat cabin. It will fill a growing demand for ecologically-friendly flight training, as well as regional transportation in Brazil and throughout the world. Initially, OXIS projects that the flight time will be in excess of two hours and an approximate range of 200NM.

Huw Hampson-Jones, CEO, OXIS Energy, said, “This collaboration between OXIS Energy, Texas Aircraft, and two other forward-thinking Brazilian corporations will put Brazil at the forefront of designing, manufacturing and exporting the electrification of regional aircraft worldwide. The partnership will create highly skilled jobs throughout Brazil, and contribute to major exports both in products, services and expertise."

Matheus Grande, CEO, Texas Aircraft Manufacturing added: “The opportunity to be at the forefront of the transformation Brazil’s private aviation to all-electric power is an amazing opportunity. With its wide cabin and exceptionally pilot-friendly flight characteristics, the eColt is going to be a fantastic airplane for flight training and personal transportation in Brazil and around the world.”

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 per cent lighter than current Li-Ion technology will be powered by its “High Power” cell at 400Wh/kg.

The Colt S-LSA is ideally suited for the training of commercial airline 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 all-electric Texas Aircraft eColt will provide an efficient, clean mechanism for new pilots whilst decreasing training costs substantially.

All of the aircraft’s key airframe and power components will be manufactured in Brazil. The aircraft will be designed and developed at the Texas Aircraft Manufacturing facility in Campinas. 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.

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.