This startup wants hybrid planes in the air by the 2020s

The future of American domestic flight could be electric — or, at the very least, a hybrid.  

Aviation startup Zunum Aero emerged from stealth mode and announced a bold plan to bring hybrid-electric plane travel to the United States on a large scale. 

The company has been operating under the radar for the past three years and debuts with a number of patents already in place. It also has the backing of two major names in the aviation industry: Boeing and JetBlue.  

Zunum says it plans to build hybrid-electric aircraft with 10 to 50 seats that could travel up to 700 miles at launch in the early 2020s, with the potential to reach ranges of over 1,000 miles by 2030. The planes could create new routes, cut fares, and cut down travel times, along with the obvious environmental benefits of a hybrid vehicle. Read more...