Airbus are an aircraft manufacturer more known for planes like their A380 super jumbo than the relatively tiny model pictured above, however as fossil fuels become ever more scarce eyes are beginning to turn to alternate methods of propulsion and electric motors are widely considered to be at the front of the line. The parent company of Airbus, EADS, has begun experimenting with battery powered electric planes, the first of which is the Cri-Cri, a four-propellered, single seater light aircraft designed to test the viability of using batteries, electric motors and lithium-ion batteries for airborne propulsion.

Although we are clearly a fair few years off having large electric passenger aircraft the first seeds are being sown now, almost like an electric Wright Brothers renaissance, making this an exciting time to be paying attention. As batteries improve we’ll doubtless see more and more planes like the Cri-Cri taking to the skies and it should be too long after that that you find yourself onboard one, struggling with that little packet of peanuts.