Alice doesn’t land here anymore.
Israel’s Eviation Aircraft reached a rarified air at the the 52nd International Paris Air Show by unveiling “Alice,” an electric commuter aircraft prototype with a whopping 600-mile range.
Alice can carry nine passengers and two crew members, and its composite, ultra light frame makes it 300 times more energy-efficient than its counterparts. The plane’s impressive power comes from its Li-lon – 980 kWh battery and its distributed propulsion system; Alice has one pusher propeller at the tail and two pusher propellers at the wingtips to cut down on both drag and redundancy.
While the cutting-edge electric plane is still a prototype for now, Eviation is optimistic that it could progress to certification and commercialization as early as 2018. That timeline seems ambitious, but the company is known for their go-getter attitude. Eviation is not only a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers’ Association committee, they’re part of NASA’s mobility Program, as well.
“Our mobility options need to be adapted to reflect [a] new and effective future,’ Eviation CEO Omer Bar-Yohay said of his company’s plans for Alice. “Our fully electric airplane is a chance for those who want to get around quickly and have the impact that our globalized economy demands today.”
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