X-57 Maxwell
At first glance, this plane design looks almost normal. It’s got two wings—more than can be said for some of the other aircraft in this slideshow—and a cockpit for the pilot. Where the X-57 Maxwell splits is in how it’s powered. It is an entirely electric plane, with two lithium batteries tucked away in its cabin, a first for NASA and a hopeful portent of future energy shake-ups in flight. The Maxwell also has 14 propellers, which is probably at least 10 more than you normally think of a plane having. An aerospace engineer working on the electric plane told Gizmodo in 2021 that the X-57 could be “the tide that lifts all boats…or all planes.” With its first flight slated for 2022, we’ll hopefully be learning more soon.
