The world’s first all-electric passenger aircraft is preparing for its first flight.
This is the work of a little-known Israeli startup Eviation, and preliminary tests are taking place at the local Arlington Airport near Seattle, USA. According to the CEO of the company, Omer Ber-Yohai, there are only a few weeks left before the first takeoff of Alice.
The aircraft uses batteries similar to those used in most electric vehicles or smartphones – lithium polymer. The charging time is only 30 minutes, which will give a charge for an hour of flight or about 440 miles, reminds Aviaforum.
The aircraft must have a maximum cruising speed of 250 knots or about 490 km/h and carry up to 9 passengers. An Israeli company that specializes in all-electric aircraft hopes that in the next 10 years it will be possible to travel in an electric aircraft with 20 to 40 passengers.