Extra 330Ls have a long nose, usually cowling a Lycoming IO-540 or -580. The 330 EL, though, houses 14 battery packs of 18.6 kilowatt-hours each (according to InfoAvion, an Argentinian publication), all to allow the Siemens D-SP260 to flex its 300 horsepower muscle and demonstrate what 1,000 Newton-meters (737 foot-pounds) of torque can do for vertical rolls.
Flying Magazine thought that its display at AERO Friedrichshafen in Germany could be a harbinger of the future of emission-free airshow performances.”
Siemens intends to use the 330 EL for flight test and optimization of a electric propulsion system based on the 50 kilogram (110 pound) motor on display. Even the large battery array will give only about 15 to 20 minutes of wide-open airshow power, enough for a great routine, lacking only the airshow noise.
Batteries under glass highlight Extra 330 EL, sure to provide a little extra in performance