Your next flight could be electric—in a good way

If folks choose an airline flight, “electric” isn’t a term that sounds all that desirable. For many folks, that might seem to indicate something happening in the heavens that was substantially distinct from the kind of get on, rest, get off experience theyrsquo;d like to get from A to B. However, for some passengers taking a flight from the United States, there will shortly be the chance of using that word in a far more positive way, as a Massachusetts-based airline only purchased the world’s first commercial electrical passenger airplane.

At the Paris Air Show earlier this month, the prices were made for countless jet liners from dozens of airlines from around the planet. But it was a single aircraft purchased by regional carrier Cape Air that really stole the show. The small carrier purchased a rather compact plane–one which carries just nine passengers for no more than 650 kilometers –a far cry from the kind of large long tail craft which made up the bulk of the earnings. However, this airplane, from fresh Israeli aircraft manufacturer Eviation, is a glimpse of a radical shift in aviation.

This very first order for its $4 million airplane called Alice is the very first time any airline has purchased an electric airplane intended for regular passenger services. And it didn’t dictate one, but “dual digit” numbers of the airplane — though precisely the amount of hasn’t already been revealed. Cape Air now has roughly 92 aircraft in support, so the order to get a dozen or more Alices (Alici? Alicia?) Would be a major expansion of its service or even a replacement of a substantial part of its existing gas-powered craft.

In contrast to most small propeller-driven aircraft utilized by regional providers, the Alice creates an appealing prospect. The pressurized cabin means the craft could swim comfortably at higher altitudes; a cruising speed of 285 mph and a top speed closer to 400 make short work of the kind of routes a lot of its aircraft fly. Along with the Alice has no issue with landing small regional airports. To get this performance, the Alice packs a 900 kWh lithium-ion battery package –equivalent in power to approximately 18 conventional Tesla Model 3s.

It’therefore definitely going to be some time before battery technologies permits the kind of speed and range required to substitute long-range jets. But, those taking a flight within the U.S. might soon get a chance to test out something genuinely new.

Quick personal note: I recently took a Cape Air flight back into St. Louis from Owensboro, KY.. The day happened to be exceptionally stormy, and while the pilot did a fair job steering around and involving towering thunderheads, it would have been good to have the Alice’s abilities to make that flight electrical not in the sense of watching electricity series past the windows. Still, a tip of the hat to this pilot, that brought us safely and on time, even if it required flying a not at all straight-line path to make it occur.

Interior of Alice electrical passenger airplane.

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