Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact

Enes Özkar; İstemihan Genç

Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact

Abstract

The aviation industry plays a critical role in many aspects of modern life. It makes significant contributions while posing environmental and technical challenges that cannot be ignored. In particular, the increase in global carbon emissions and the need to reduce fossil fuel consumption make All Electric Aircraft (AEA) an increasingly significant alternative. AEA is an emerging concept in the aviation industry today, and advances in battery technologies and electric propulsion systems will accelerate its adoption. This study presents the conversion of the Tecnam P2008 JC to an All Electric Aircraft concept. A suitable battery and electric propulsion system were selected during the conversion process while maintaining the aircraft's structural architecture and operational limitations. A battery pack based on lithium-ion batteries was designed, and integration was completed by selecting the appropriate power electronics components. The electric aircraft's energy consumption and performance analyses on the specified flight route were carried out through simulations. In addition, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions of electric and conventional configurations are compared. The study results provide an important perspective on the sustainable transformation of aviation by revealing the advantages of fully electric aircraft and the engineering challenges they may face.

Keywords

References

Alexander, R., Meyer, D. & Wang, J., 2018. A Comparison of Electric Vehicle Power Systems to Predict Architectures, Voltage Levels, Power Requirements, and Load Characteristics of the Future All-Electric Aircraft. Long Beach, IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo (ITEC).
Ata, I. & Akgül, B., 2023. Investigation of hybrid-electric propulsion system applied on Cessna 172S aircraft. International Journal Of Energy Studies, 8(3), pp. 385-399.
Barzkar, A. & Ghassemi, M., 2020. Electric Power Systems in More and All Electric Aircraft: A Review. IEEE Access, pp. 169314-169332.
Baumeister, S., Simić, T. K. & Ganić, E., 2024. Emissions reduction potentials in business aviation with electric aircraft. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Volume 136, pp. 1-7.
EASA, 2019. Special Condition for Small-Category Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft, Brussels: EASA.
EMRAX, 2025. "EMRAX 118" datasheet, Kamnik: EMRAX.
European Union Aviation Safety Agency, 2021. Study on the societal acceptance of Urban Air Mobility in Europe, Brussels: European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Eurostat, 2025. Eurostat Electricity Price Statistics. [Online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Electricity_price_statistics [Accessed 3 02 2025].

Eviation Alice Aircraft, 2025. Eviation Alice Aircraft. [Online] Available at: https://www.eviation.com/aircraft/ [Accessed 12 1 2024].
Fleming, G. G. & Lépinay, I. d., 2019. Environmental Trends in Aviation to 2050, Montreal: International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Gierulski, M. P. & Khandelwal, B., 2021. Electric-powered aircraft. In: B. Khandelwal, ed. Aviation Fuels. s.l.:Elsevier Inc., pp. 271-296.
Hakyemez, I., Keles, O. K., Kalenderli, O. & Bagriyanik, M., 2024. Conceptual Design of Modernized 270 VDC Electrical Power Distribution System for Hercules C-130 Aircraft. IEEE Access, Volume 12, pp. 112053 - 112061.
Hospodka, J., Bínová, H. & Pleninger, S., 2020. Assessment of All-Electric General Aviation Aircraft. Energies, 13(23), pp. 1-19.
IAOPA EUROPE, 2025. AOPA Fuel Price Servlet. [Online] Available at: https://www.iaopa.eu/AOPAFuelPriceServlet [Accessed 03 02 2025].
INR18650-30 Cell Specificaiton, 2025. INR18650-30 Cell Specificaiton. [Online] Available at: https://www.joke-technology.com/media/pdf/c4/9a/9b/datenblatt_inr18650-30q6_cell_specification.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoqzIwjOR2iJsATpJ_zewadkGca7J6iND59tMX3RU7nauAJ5m9k4 [Accessed 10 09 2024].
Keles, O. K., Hakyemez, I., Bagriyanik, M. & Kalenderli, O., 2025. A Study on Power System Retrofit for Cessna-172S Aircraft by Using Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Battery Hybrid. IEEE Access, Volume 13, pp. 6089-6101.
Liang, Y. et al., 2024. Charging Demand Prediction: Small All-Electric Aircraft and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification.
Liu, Y. & Li, S., 2022. Analysis for the Usage of Li-ion Battery in Electric Aircraft. Rimini, 2022 International Conference on Manufacturing, Industrial Automation and Electronics (ICMIAE).
Maliska, H. et al., 2024. X-57 Maxwell Lessons Learned Report, Washington, DC: NASA.
MathWorks, 2025. Electrical Component Analysis for Hybrid and Electric Aircraft. [Online] Available at: https://www.mathworks.com/help/aeroblks/Electrical-Component-Analysis-Hybrid-and-Electric-Aircraft.html [Accessed 5 9 2024].
Pipistrel Velis Electro Aircraft, 2025. Pipistrel Velis Electro Aircraft. [Online] Available at: https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/products/velis-electro/ [Accessed 1 12 2024].
Schwab, A. et al., 2021. Electrification of Aircraft: Challenges, Barriers, and Potential Impacts, Golden: National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Serafini, J. et al., 2019. Conceptual All-Electric Retrofit of Helicopters:. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, 5(3), pp. 782-794.
Staack, I., Sobron, A. & Krus, P., 2021. The potential of full electric aircraft for civil transportation:. CEAS Aeronautical Journal, Volume 12, pp. 803-819.
Tecnam P2008 JC, 2025. Tecnam P2008: Elegant, Comfortable and Efficient Single Engine Aircraft. [Online] Available at: https://tecnam.com/aircraft/p2008-jc-csvla/ [Accessed 5 9 2024].
Thapa, N., Ram, S., Kumar, S. & Mehta, J., 2021. All electric aircraft: A reality on its way. Materials Today: Proceedings, Volume 43, pp. 175-182.
Vanzieleghem, B., 2022. Next-generation batteries to enable electric aviation, Montreal: International Civil Aviation Organisation.
X-57 Maxwell Aircraft Project, 2025. X-57 Maxwell Aircraft Project. [Online] Available at: https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-missions/x-57-aircraft/ [Accessed 1 12 2024].
Zekalabs, 2025. "RedPrime 50kW, 750V, 145A DC-DC Converter" datasheet, Sofia: Zekalab.
Zhong, Y., 2023. Development and Challenge of More/All Electric Aircraft. Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology, Volume 32, pp. 304-310.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Electrical Energy Storage, Electrical Engineering (Other), Aircraft Performance and Flight Control Systems

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Enes Özkar ^*
0009-0001-7144-1829
Türkiye

İstemihan Genç
0000-0001-7077-8895
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

December 16, 2025

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

March 4, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 17, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Özkar, E., & Genç, İ. (2025). Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology, Advanced Online Publication, 35-47. https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS

AMA

1.Özkar E, Genç İ. Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact. IJAST. 2025;(Advanced Online Publication):35-47. https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS

Chicago

Özkar, Enes, and İstemihan Genç. 2025. “Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact”. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology, no. Advanced Online Publication: 35-47. https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS.

EndNote

Özkar E, Genç İ (December 1, 2025) Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology Advanced Online Publication 35–47.

IEEE

[1]E. Özkar and İ. Genç, “Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact”, IJAST, no. Advanced Online Publication, pp. 35–47, Dec. 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS

ISNAD

Özkar, Enes - Genç, İstemihan. “Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact”. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology. Advanced Online Publication (December 1, 2025): 35-47. https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS.

JAMA

1.Özkar E, Genç İ. Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact. IJAST. 2025;:35–47.

MLA

Özkar, Enes, and İstemihan Genç. “Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact”. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology, no. Advanced Online Publication, Dec. 2025, pp. 35-47, https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS.

Vancouver

1.Enes Özkar, İstemihan Genç. Electrification Of A Small Aircraft: Technical Feasibility, Cost Analysis, And Environmental Impact. IJAST [Internet]. 2025 Dec. 1;(Advanced Online Publication):35-47. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA66HK25JS