Alice - 1st Electric Commuter Plane?
Alice is Successfully Test Flown
Green, Zero Carbon Emissions Flying
Alice, an all-electric 9-passenger, commuter plane, has successfully completed its first test flight. The zero-carbon emissions aircraft, being developed by Washington state based Eviation, is targeted to service commuter and cargo routes between 150 and 250 miles. The e-plane has a flying range of 288 miles on a charge. Alice is not just an electric plane prototype. There are already significant sales orders for it, including from regional air carrier Cape Air, which operates out of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and national package carrier DHL. Alice is on track to become the 1st, all new, all electric commercial air carrier when it gets full FAA approval to fly passengers.
Tech Specs
During the 8-minute test flight, Alice reached an altitude of 3500 feet and hit speeds of 171 mph. The electric aircraft is powered and propelled by 2, electric motors that spin 2 propellers near the tail, using energy from 8,000 pounds of batteries. Ideal routes for the e-plane include Boston to New York City and Los Angeles to Las Vegas, which fit into Eviation's target routes of 150 to 250 miles in distance. The successful test flight will help calibrate Alice's design.
Biggest Challenge & Next Steps
The biggest challenge facing Alice and the nascent electric plane industry is battery power and the drag on range caused by the batteries' weight. The more power and longer range provided by the battery system, the heavier the weight, which cuts into the aircraft's efficiency. Alice is expected to hit the commercial skies by 2027. By that time, Eviation executives expect to have more lightweight battery systems available to significantly increase Alice's range and efficiency. Eviation plans on making Alice available in three different models: a 9-pasenger commuter plane, a 6-passenger luxury plane and an e-cargo plane, all of which will be carbon-emissions free.
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