This Israeli company is just about to test the world’s first all-electric airplane

The first all-electric airplane is just about ready for its first test flight, two years after its unveiling at the Paris Air Show in 2019. The Alice, as it’s named, comes from an Israeli-American company called Eviation Aircraft, and it could be the future of flight.

The first test flight is scheduled for before the end of the year, with the company hoping the aircraft will pass regulation so it can go into service in 2024.

Originally designed as a small-passenger airplane for short city hops, the Alice seats nine passengers or up to 2,600lbs of cargo. A 440 nautical mile range (815km) from the fully-charged battery would enable use on popular short-haul routes, completely replacing jet turbines and their associated pollution. The lithium-ion batteries get around one hour of flight time from a 30-minute charge, which can propel the Alice to a 250 KTS max speed.

The Alice already has a hefty waitlist, with orders for over 150 of the aircraft from a mix of airlines and carriers. The airplanes cost $4 million each. Cargo carrier DHL is the latest customer, with an order of 12 Alice eCargo planes to set up an electric DHL Express network for future expansion.

The coolest thing about electric airplanes? They’re much quieter than combustion-based ones, without much of the vibration that you might be used to from flight. That means quieter cabins for passengers, but also quieter skies for those who live near airports.

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