Most of the purchases at last month’s Paris Air Show focused on conventional, fossil fuel-powered aircraft. However, one company stood out by showcasing a fully electric commercial airplane.
U.S. regional carrier Cape Air has agreed to buy a double-digit number of planes from Israeli start-up Eviation, the maker of what it describes as the world’s first commercial electric aircraft.
Based in Massachusetts, Cape Air is one of the largest regional airlines in the United States, carrying roughly 500,000 passengers a year. The airline operates short-haul routes across the American Northeast and Midwest, as well as services in the Caribbean.
The airplane ordered from Eviation, named Alice, is a nine-passenger commuter aircraft intended for short-range service. Alice is designed to fly up to about 650 miles at a cruise speed near 240 knots (approximately 276 mph) and at an operational ceiling around 10,000 feet. Eviation presented a prototype at the Paris Air Show.
Priced around $4 million, Alice is powered by a 900-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack. The electric propulsion system yields lower noise, zero in-flight emissions, and reduced fuel-related operating costs compared with conventional turboprops or jets. Eviation has projected deliveries to begin by 2022.