Yuneec International, a British company working in China, introduced the E430, the prototype of an electric aircraft that it plans to mass-produce for the global market. The appeal of the little two-seat airplane is not only its economy--fuel costs about $2 per hour--but its ease of use. Just plug it in to recharge. There is never a need to deal with messy gasoline or oil, and maintenance is vastly simpler than for a piston aircraft. In flight, the Yuneec is smooth, quiet, and emissions-free. Extra-long wings provide plenty of lift for flights lasting up to two and a half hours between charges. Deliveries are expected to start in 2011, with a price of about $89,000. (+44.0.1707.66411, www.yuneec.com)
