Alia, The “Flying Battery,” Flight Tested

clouds from airplane window

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 5/6/2022 Last month, Zondits reported on Alice, an electric commuter airplane that is currently under development and is now scheduled to be flight tested this summer. A second airplane, named Alia, has joined the mission to bring clean energy to aviation. Alia, developed by Beta Technologies, is intended for cargo service … Read more

Electric airplane, Alice, set to begin test flights

30-second-time-lapse-of-airplanes-1

Brian McCowan, Zondits Staff, 3/24/2022 Zondits has recently reported on electric snow blowers, mowers, and motorcycles. And now, here comes an electric airplane. CNN Business News reports that Eviation, a start-up firm based in Israel is in the final testing stages of their all-electric commuter aircraft named Alice. Alice’s engine was tested in January at … Read more

Electric Motorcycles: the Next Big Thing in EV?

Mark D’Antonio, Zondits staff, 3/25/2022. There’s a lot of buzz in the air about electric vehicles (EV), particularly cars, trucks and charging infrastructure. But another revolution is happening in the EV world, too – motorcycles. According to MarketResearchFuture.com, the electric motorcycles market is projected to be worth $58.4 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth … Read more

Powerboats are going green and getting quiet

A powerboat speeds along blue water, leaving a white wake.

By Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 3/3/2022. Many years ago, I visited a boat and outdoor equipment dealer in rural New England and asked if they sold canoes. The answer, delivered with a sarcastic tone, was, “We don’t sell anything unless it pollutes the air or water, preferably both.” Outboard motors have long been accused of … Read more

What Tune Is Your Electric Vehicle Playing?

Mark D’Antonio, Zondits Staff, 2/23/2022. You know that age-old question, “If a tree falls in the forest…does it make a sound?” Well, here’s a modern-day sonic question: “Since your EV doesn’t make (much of) a sound, should it?” Most of us think of electric vehicles as virtually silent, but it’s reasonable to ask if electric … Read more

Clearing the Way for Electric Snow Blowers

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 1/21/2022. The market for new snow blowers in the United States and Canada is projected to grow to $865 million in annual sales by the year 2026 according to market research firm Arizton. Clean power advocates would like to see a major share of the snow blower market transition from gasoline … Read more

Electric Lawnmowers are Changing the Landscape

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 1/14/22 Electrification – More than Heat Pumps and Automobiles News regarding the transition to electric end uses and the associated reliance on renewable energy typically focuses on automobiles and heat pumps. As the Zondits articles on electric backhoes illustrates, many additional opportunities exist for adopting the use of rechargeable electric equipment. … Read more

Electric Chainsaws Tearing Up the Market

Mark D’Antonio, Zondits Staff, 1/13/22  Next up in the Zondits series on residential outdoor equipment is the chainsaw.  If you have had the experience of clearing debris from a bad storm, you know how indispensable a chainsaw can be. But conventional gas-powered chainsaws are notoriously loud and seriously polluting. Who can ignore that din of … Read more

Tidal Power Floating Turbine Project Deployed

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 1/11/2022 This past July, a 2MW tidal power floating turbine project developed by the Scottish firm Orbital was deployed near Orkney Island and began generating electricity. The project has demonstrated good potential and multiple projects are now proposed at various UK locations. Orbital has secured investment from TechnipFMC, a global offshore … Read more

Electric Backhoe One Step Closer to Breaking Ground

Brian McCowan, dnv.com, 12/03/21. In January 2021, Zondits reported that John Deere and the electric and gas utility company National Grid were jointly testing a rechargeable all-electric powered backhoe at Massachusetts construction sites. Testing continued through the summer with the backhoe performing a variety of trenching, digging, and loading tasks. In late September, John Deere … Read more