Joshua Parfitt
THE world’s first electric commuter plane has been rolled out at the 2019 Paris Air Show, and it features ‘pioneer’ Spanish engineering.
The ‘Eviation Alice’, built by Eviation Aircraft from Israel, was developed alongside Spanish company ALTEA for the design and construction of its front and rear fuselage, as well as passenger doors.
The Spanish aeronautical design company collaborated with Toledo-based manufacturer CiTD ENGINEERING and Technologies y Composites Guimar to build these key structures from 90% carbon fibre.
“It gives me great pride to participate in a project like this, unique in the world, and to have been able to involve Spanish industrial fibre that has proven to be pioneering,” ALTEA director Daniel Sánchez, told Hispavacion.
The carbon fibre material has allowed the plane to remain at a weight of 6 tonnes – 4 tonnes of which provided by the batteries alone.
“When batteries are smaller, there will be a longer flight time,” Sanchez added.
Eviation Alice is expected to fly a distance of 1,000km – roughly London to Bilbao – and reach speeds of 450km/h.
The nine-passenger plane is expected to reduce costs of flying by 70% and revolutionise the flying industry.
“This is the beginning of the electric age in aviation,” CEO of Eviation Omer Baryohay said.
“This aircraft is different from all the others manufactured in the last few decades, it is a revolutionary design, but it must still be revolutionary within the aeronautical industry, which makes it even more challenging.”
Commercialisation is expected in 2022.
However, the plane reportedly already has its first customer: US company Cape Air.
