Pouring electric fuel into the 2010 ParaWatt paramotor
Electrics are coming. They’re quieter, cheaper to operate, have far, far fewer moving parts, don’t struggle to start, and can be fueled from your house or car. Eventually the battery buggaboo that limits range will make them fit the desires of more and more pilots.
So what will the cost difference be?
I’ve crafted a spreadsheet to help understand. It includes the fact that batteries are only good for a limited number of charge cycles. At present, that’s fairly expensive but getting cheaper.
This spreadsheet will help you decide at what point it makes sense. As performance, range and reliability increase, more and more pilots will likely make the jump. Cross country adventure pilots will be the last to adopt because they need a way to refuel quickly. At present (2020), you need about 150 pounds of batteries to go 3 hours on a fastish wing.