Loads of interesting things happening in the electric flight world in conjunction with Oshkosh. It really is picking up momentum and I think we'll see radical changes and shifts in the very near future. It could even be the case that by the time the dinosaurs get their thumbs out of their behinds and come around to making diesels and rigmaroling through certifications and STC's - or finding a replacement for 100LL - electric or hybrid has already taken over. I very much doubt there's another 10 years for them to screw around in. By then it'll be all over.
First things first:
FAA has now realized that electric aircraft are imminent on the market and have fasttracked a way to implement it into LSA certification. So expect this not to happen overnight, but at least happen quicker than previously anticipated.
Yuneec's E430 won the Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Price, the first year it's been given out by the EAA. Not only that, the Yuneec E430 is now up to 2-2,5hrs in endurance and is at the forefront of being the first certified electric LSA.
There's a very interesting audio interview with Clive Coote of Yuneec where he talks about the systems and the aircrafts future here:
AVweb Interviews Yuneec International's Clive Coote
Pipstrel has released their plans to make and market a 4-seat, 200kt hybrid aircraft and going after the Corvallis market:
Pipistrel Four-Seater: Efficiency And Speed
Sikorsky showed their electric 300C helicopter. Although it can only fly for 15 minutes at this time, it's an interesting step. Imagine a flight school with an electric helicopter with exchangeable batteries: the price of training could be slashed:
Sikorsky Firely: An Electric Helicopter
Electric Cessna 172? It's in the works. And sanctioned by Cessna themselves, not some third party:
Bye Energy, Cessna Team On Electric 172
And the ultimate sign that electric is the future is to have the biggest visionary in aircraft construction and concept joining the camp - Burt Rutan:
Rutan Dreams Of Electric Flight
I know I sound like an evangelist, but electric could really get rid of pretty much every single problem and compromise we've had to live with in aviation for the last 100 years. It really is the second coming of Christ if the energy storage can just be solved. And it will be. That's the last obstacle.