Making new waves in the aviation industry, on Tuesday, a prototype, all-electric airplane by Eviation took its first flight in central Washington state.
Built by startup Eviation, the plane named Alice was built to carry nine passengers and up two pilots. It took off from Moses Lake, Washington, at 7:10 a.m. Tuesday, and landed eight minutes later. The company’s goal is to show such electric planes are viable as commuter aircraft flying at an altitude of about 4,572 meters, and if the Federal Aviation Administration eventually certifies the small airplane to carry passengers, it could become the first all-electric commercial airplane.
Today, our all-electric Alice aircraft electrified the skies and embarked on an unforgettable world’s first flight. See Alice make history in the video clip below. We’re honored to celebrate this groundbreaking leap towards a more #sustainable future.#electricaviation pic.twitter.com/Q9dFoTPyiB
— Eviation Aircraft (@EviationAero) September 27, 2022
Eviation founder Omer Bar-Yohav hailed the plane as a “new age of aviation” in an interview with The Times of Israel last year. “We have a product that is sustainable, it is economically sustainable, as it is cheap to operate and maintain, and it is socially sustainable — this is a mode of transportation people want to use,” Bar-Yohay said.
Electric engines and battery technologies are driving a “third age of aviation” where “we have a maturity of elements and advanced materials, the social will, and the financial capabilities,” said Bar-Yohay.
Designed by engineers in Washington state and Israel, the prototype is powered by 21,500 small Tesla-style battery cells.
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