Eviation’s “Alice” Debuts At Paris Air Show

Eviation unveiled its proposition to the turboprop-commuter airline market at the Paris Air Show with Alice, its all-electric, 9-passenger prototype airplane, and announced Cape Air as its first fleet partner.

Slated as the latest entrant in a host of urban mobility vehicles aimed at advancing the quest towards a cleaner future, Eviation's Alice looks like one of the largest aircraft to date powered solely by electric propulsion. Through its partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Eviation hopes to demonstrate that the Siemens motors currently installed in the aircraft will be ready for a first flight in the next few months. A MagniX Magi250 engine option is also in the works for Alice, along with that company's plans to test the 750-hp Magni500 on a Cessna Caravan 208B and Harbour Air Beaver, as well as Eviation's design.

The Israel-based startup has used funding from its private investors thus far, according to CEO Omer Bar-Yohay, though it will require at least $200 million more to achieve its next goals, which include meeting FAA Part 23 compliance for commuter and air taxi operations. Watch the announcement here.

Alice has a proposed range of 650 miles, at a projected speed of up to 240 knots. Its initial propulsion configuration places one pusher-mounted propeller at the rear of the airplane, with a pusher propeller at each wingtip. Each motor would be at least 260kw, with the system backed by a lithium-ion 900 kWh battery arrangement.

In other electric news at the Paris Air Show this week, Airbus announced a collaboration with Daher and Safran on the EcoPulse demonstrator.