---
title: "NASA Just Unveiled Its All-Electric X-57 Plane"
description: "NASA unveiled the design of its latest aviation project, the X-57 electric aircraft. The electric plane is geared to be the fast and energy efficient."
date: "2016-06-22"
modified: "2016-06-22"
authors:
  - name: "Charmaine Caparas"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/charmaine.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/nasa-just-unveiled-its-all-electric-x-57-plane"
categories:
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "electric plane"
  - "NASA"
  - "x-57"
---

# NASA Just Unveiled Its All-Electric X-57 Plane

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/x-57-nasa_A-nasa.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="http://www.wired.com/" target="\_blank"\>NASA\</a\>\</em\>*

[NASA is building](<http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-electric-research-plane-gets-x-number-new-name/>) an all-electric test plane called X-57, nicknamed "Maxwell."

It will feature a long, thin wings lined with 12 small electric motors. On each wing tip, NASA will put two larger engines.

“This all comes back to that [traditional aircraft](<http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/the-electric-airplane-34986164/?no-ist>) design process,” says Sean Clarke, NASA engineer and co-principal investigator for electric propulsion and the X-57. “I’m given a certain performance envelope: Make this thing go fairly fast, using as little fuel as possible.”

![sceptor\_city\_nasa\_half\_res](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/sceptor_city_nasa_half_res-1200x810.jpg>)
*Credits: NASA Langley/Advanced Concepts Lab, AMA, Inc.*

During takeoff and landing, the 12 small motors kick on for about 30 seconds. Once it’s moving, the X-57’s version of shifting into high gear is shutting off those 12 engines and letting the two larger end-wing propellers take over.

Once complete, the aircraft will be able to operate solely on battery power. An electrically-powered plane will reduce noise pollution as well as air pollution. While modern aviation still requires lead based fuels, a battery-powered flight would eliminate this big source of pollution.

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- [An Electric Plane Just Smashed World Speed Records](<https://futurism.com/an-electric-plane-just-smashed-world-speed-records.md>)
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- [Watch the World’s Largest Electric Plane Take to the Skies](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/watch-worlds-largest-electric-plane-take-skies.md>)
- [This All-Electric Plane Can Transport Passengers 600 Miles on a Single Charge](<https://futurism.com/this-all-electric-plane-can-transport-passengers-600-miles-on-a-single-charge.md>)
- [Ten-Engine Electric Plane Completes Successful Flight Test](<https://futurism.com/ten-engine-electric-plane-completes-successful-flight-test.md>)
- [Pilots Testing Electric Airplane Say It’s Weirdly Quiet](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/pilots-testing-electric-airplane-quiet.md>)