World’s First All-Electric Plane Soars In Washington For Brief Moment
Israeli firm Eviation has taken to the skies with the world’s first all-electric plane. The nine-seater prototype, nicknamed ‘Alice’, took off from Moses Lake, Washington, last week.
A 900 kWh battery powers Alice and houses twin Magni560 electric motors, designed by Magnix, that can go up to 850 horsepower. Alice’s battery can last for 3,000 flights before needing to be changed.
In live-streamed footage, Alice was seen on the tarmac getting into position before stopping. A crew of engineers rushed to assess the issue before it was ready to fly off.
Alice made its way over Moses Lake, where it flew for eight minutes before touching back down again. While the journey was short, it made a significant mark on the future of sustainable flying.
As reported by The Seattle Times, Steve Crane, who piloted the electric plane, noted that the engines were incredibly silent as they flew.
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According to Simple Flying, Alice will be charged with carts on the runway the same way regular planes are filled with fuel. One hour’s worth of flying would need a 30-minute charge for an aircraft of a similar size.
Unfortunately, battery-powered commercial planes may not be our future. A battery big enough to power up a Boeing may be too heavy for flight. As such, this advancement in aviation may work only with smaller ones like Alice.
Cape Air, a regional airline in Northeastern US, has ordered 75 of Alice’s to join its fleet. In addition, airlines such as Deutsche Post and GlobalX have also placed orders with Eviation.
[via Simple Flying and The Seattle Times, images via Eviation]
