This week saw the first commercial flight of an all-electric passenger aircraft, an important milestone on the road to zero-emission air travel.
According to the company, the Alice aircraft, manufactured by Eviation Aircraft, took off from Grant County International Airport in Washington on September 27 and flew for 8 minutes. The plane climbed to an altitude of 3,500 feet.
The aircraft, which can carry both passengers and cargo, has a top speed of 260 knots and can accommodate up to nine passengers and two crew members at a time. Seat pitch for passengers is 32 inches when the aircraft is in service.
“Today we embark on the next era of aviation – we have successfully electrified the skies with the unforgettable first flight of Alice,” Eviation President and CEO Gregory Davis said in a statement.
“People now know what affordable, clean and sustainable aviation looks and sounds like for the first time in a fixed-wing, all-electric aircraft. This ground-breaking milestone will lead to innovation in sustainable air travel, and shape both passenger and cargo travel in the future.”
The aircraft will travel distances between 150 and 250 miles. The aircraft is powered by two Magni650 electric engines that emit no carbon emissions. Compared to similar light jets or high-end turboprop aircraft, the company says the plane is less noisy and “costs a fraction to operate.”
According to CNN, the jet can fly for an hour and recharge in about 30 minutes.
“This is history,” Davis told the network. ”We have not seen the propulsion technology change on the aircraft since we went from the piston engine to the turbine engine. It was the 1950s that was the last time you saw an entirely new technology like this come together.”
According to Eviation, U.S. regional carriers Cape Air and Global Crossing Airlines each placed orders for the aircraft, while DHL Express became the company’s first cargo customer.
This is not the first all-electric commercial aircraft to take to the skies. A six-seat seaplane that departed from Vancouver in 2019 has earned this distinction.
Rolls-Royce started testing the world’s fastest all-electric plane last year, with a top speed of more than 387 mph. Additionally, Hawaiian Airlines has made a purchase of electric seagliders, which might be used for eco-friendly island-to-island travel.