Electric Planes are Already Here
Provided by: The Kid Should See This|Published on: August 20, 2026|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Videos
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering
Authors: Cleo Abram
Location: Earth
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This 10-minute video and associated article explore whether electric aircraft are possible and how advances in battery technology are making them increasingly viable as a way to reduce aviation's contribution to climate change.
- The video explains that electric planes allow us to reimagine air flight altogether through design ideas such as vertical takeoff and landing.
Teaching Materials
Classroom Implementation:
- Prior to watching, discuss why electrifying certain things, such as planes, can pose significant challenges.
- After watching, have students list limiting factors for the spread of electric planes.
- Then, discuss why despite these limitations, the electric planes that already exist may still make a dent in fossil fuel emissions.
Extensions:
- Engage students in the engineering design process to electrify a typically fossil-fuel-powered technology.
- Explore the history of a variety of sustainable innovations (e.g., solar panels) to analyze the claim that most "new" technologies are actually decades in the making.
Related Resources:
- Use this 5-minute video to instead discuss the history of electric cars.
- Read this short news article about how Uber plans to launch fleets of electric helicopter taxis starting in 2026.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
