Slender and elegant, with two long wings at the back, it looks like a gas-churning super jet built to crisscross the planet with little regard for environmental impact.
There is an electric passenger plane concept that focuses on efficiency, sustainability and... glamour. The concept is the work of the New York designer Joe doucet, which took inspiration from its frequent short-haul business trips to produce something capable of making the trip without producing typical aviation engine emissions. Doucet's design, the “zero-emissions” Her0 Zero plane uses electric propellers located at the rear to provide thrust, while sweeping wings that end in large, upward-pointing flaps provide lift.
Her0 is yet another example of how the aviation industry is dealing with the problem of growth and environmental impact.
This Her0 Zero project, says Doucet, has both a practical and aesthetic purpose. The propellers, he says, are reliable and efficient. The aircraft is slightly slower (about 20%) but the designer believes this is not a problem on short or medium range flights. As for the inverted wing design, this is to ensure the balance of the aircraft: most of the weight will be at the rear of the aircraft, since that is where the battery will be located.
Her0, practice and aesthetics
Aesthetically speaking, Doucet says he wanted to give the aircraft a “somewhat futuristic” look to attract the attention of the aviation industry. “Under the hood,” however, the intentions are good and serious. Between saying and doing, however… Doucet defines himself as a “designer, entrepreneur, inventor and creative director”, but he is not an aeronautical engineer, and this is his first foray into the world of aviation.
And that's why Her0, even Doucet acknowledges, may never see the light of day. But the designer's goal is also to open a conversation, and if interest in his project encourages progress toward electric planes, he will consider it a success. As it stands, he has already been approached by aeronautical engineers, suggesting improvements and discussing potential collaborations.
