Pipistrel's Taurus Electro electric glider has been awarded the Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize for Best Electric Airplane at the recent AERO 2011 airshow in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The biannually awarded Lindbergh Electric Airplane Prize (LEAP), the brainchild of Erik Lindbergh, grandson of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh, is designed to accelerate development of practical electric flight and stimulate meaningful advances in the emerging electric aircraft industry.
The electric-powered, two-seat self-launching Taurus Electro glider from Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel pipped fellow finalists the Hugues Duval Electric Cri-Cri with power by Electravia and the Sunseeker II solar airplane by Eric Raymond to win the award.
“It was very difficult to determine a winner, as all of the finalists have done a great job creating the new world of electric flight,” the LEAP organisation said.
“The Pipistrel Taurus Electro was chosen because it has a professionally engineered “plug and play” electric power system which is available for commercial sale to other airplane makers, and because it includes a completely integrated “solar trailer” that allows the airplane to operate independently of the commercial power grid.
“The integration and safety features are excellent and can serve as a model for industry standards for electric aircraft.”
The Taurus Electro features a retractable 54-horsepower electric motor to enable self-launches to soaring flight, and Pipistrel publically debuted the second generation of the glider, the Taurus Electro G2, at AERO 2011.
To read our earlier reporting on the Pipistrel Taurus Electro G2 click here.
BELOW: The integrated "solar trailer" that is used to charge the Pipistrel Taurus Electro.
