Christopher ZeniosAt the 2019 Paris Air show, the world’s first fully-electric commercial aircraft called Alice commenced its launch in its prototype form.
Eviation, the Israeli firm, confirms that the all-electric passenger aircraft will able to carry 9 passengers for up to 1040km at 10,000ft and at speeds of 440km/h, and that it will enter service by the year 2022.
Alice aircraft is powered by 3 pusher-propellers that face the rear, 2 placed on the wingtips reducing drag and 1 on the tail of the aircraft, including a flat lower fuselage to assist with the lift.
The design of the aircraft contributes to the fact that it’s electric and lightweight according to Eviation chief executive Omer Bar-Yohay.
The electric motors are provided by Siemens and magniX and chief executive of magniX, Roei Ganzarksi, believes that the business potential for small electric passenger aircrafts is clear, when 2bn air tickets are sold each year for flights under 900km.
Furthermore, the main factor here is efficiency. Electricity is much cheaper than conventional fuel. A small turbo-engine Cessna would normally use around $400 of conventional fuel every 100 miles of flight time. On the other hand, the electric aircraft will use anything between $8-$12, meaning cheaper costs per flight-hour.
The electric aviation era is here because it’s logical, not only from an environmentalist point of view but it makes business sense to happen, according to Roei Ganzarksi.
Soon there will magniX will be converting their seaplane fleet to electric and the future also looks bright for medium range flights of around 1500km.
