Are electric VTOL aircraft the future of urban mobility? It all depends on the batteries

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. —

The future of transportation may be above us, with electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. These aircraft combine the speed and convenience of helicopters with the electric power of drones — and the potential of sustainable carbon-free aviation. But achieving this future requires scrutiny of the vehicle’s most important component: the batteries. Purdue University researchers have conducted one of the first lithium-ion battery investigations specific to the demands of eVTOL vehicles.