Eviation

“The most important development since jet engine”

Posted on by Techtime

Following the historical debut test flight of the all-electric Alice aircraft last month, Eviation is preparing to move forward with the licensing processes and preparing the infrastructure for manufacturing, assembly, and delivery of the flits for its first customers, which already placed orders for 140 cargo and commuter aircrafts. The company plans to make three more planes that will be used in the coming years for the required test flights, with the target of starting commercial flights in 2027. 

Alice’s first test flight lifted on September 28 from Grant County International Airport (MWH). The plane took off to an altitude of 3,500 feet for 8 minutes before landing back. It  was the first time the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified an all-electric  demonstration flight. 

“It was history in the making”

Two of the people present at the demonstration were CEO Gregory Davis, who was appointed to this position 6 months ago in place of co-founder Omer Bar-Yohay, and CTO Lior Zivan, who monitored flight data from control room. In a conversation with Techtime, the two talked about the excitement of the first flight and the path that remains until the sky will be filled by the company’s electric planes. 

Davis: “Alice demonstrates the greatest development in aviation world since the transition from piston engine to the jet engine. It was an amazing feeling to see the plane take off and later return after mission successfully completed. Everyone in the field knew they see history in its making”.

Zivan: “We aware of the importance of our work for both sustainability and for connecting between communities. It is the future of aviation. This is a once in a lifetime experience”.  

Alice’ electric engine

Reviving the regional flights market 

Alice is powered by two electric motors and does not emit carbon. It can carry up to nine passengers for 620 miles and 260 knots operating speed, and is targeted for the regional  short flights market, which usually consists of flight routes of a few hundreds miles between cities within the same state. In the US, for example, such lines exist between Miami and Orlando, or between Dallas and Houston. Flights from Tel-Aviv to Eilat are also considered regional. These flights are usually operated by small planes, taking off and landing at small airports.  

In recent years, the volume of the regional flights is steadily decreasing, mainly due to  the high operational costs. According to Davis, Eviation’s plane can revive this market. “The key for the future regional flights market is costs reduction and environmental focus. The  regional aviation is decreasing year by year in the last two decades, and we observe shift to larger planes between larger airports”.

“Alice’s operation costs are 90% lower than equivalent jet plane. No air pollution is produces and it is much quieter. Electric aviation will make huge transformation at the economic and environmental levels. It will commute people easily and will connect between communities in a cleaner and convenient ways. This will assist in reviving the dwindling market and many small airports currently stand deserted”.  

Alice’ interior

All-electric, all-electronic 

Alice is a full all-electric plane, and it is controlled by a fully electronic pilot control system (fly-by-wire). While in conventional planes the pilot controls by mechanical or hydraulic means over the actuators that operate the various systems , the electric plane’s systems are controlled by electronic commands, including the tiller, engines, and the landing gear. Today, fly-by-wire systems are usually in use in large commercial planes such as Boing 777/787 or Airbus A340  and A350. Alice is the first small passengers’ plane (classified as FAA’s Part 23 rules for small airplanes) in the industry that is fully all-electric. 

According to Zivan, this is a landmark no less important than the electric propulsion. “With fly-by-wire the pilot is using the computer to control the flight. The advantage of using this  method is the ability to add safety improvements and human errors protection mechanisms, and make the flight much easier and safer, for example in severe weather conditions”. Eviation developed Alice’s control systems in collaboration with industry leaders  such as Honeywell, Parker Lord, and Curtis Wright. “Developing the system was a joint  effort. This is a highly complexed systems, involving many systems within the plane”. 

Battery capacity is not a limit?

“Today’s batteries enable us to operate commercial flights between cities. Already today there are thousands of flights that Alice can serve. As technology advances, the number of potential lines will increase. I believe that the development in the batteries industry in the  next years will make it possible for us to reach greater flight ranges and higher speeds”. 

Until now, the company received letters of intents from companies intending to place orders  for 140 cargo and commuter aircrafts. In April 2022, Massachusetts’ Cape Air announced its  intention to place order for seventy-five units, and few weeks ago, Eviation reported another letter of intent received from Miami’s GlobalX, showing interest in purchasing fifty electric Alice aircrafts. 

Senior representatives of these companies also attended at the demonstration flight, and they issued enthusiastic responses. Davis: “We have amazing customers, who are also partners to our vision. Alice is an essential component in their long-term environmental strategy. Cape Air, for example, strive to reach zero-emission flights. Alice’s current model can serve about 80% of their airline routes”. 

Debute flight for the Israeli all-electric Alice aircraft  

Posted on by Techtime

Israeli company Eviation Aircraft made history last week, when successfully completed the first flight of its all-electric Alice aircraft. Alice lifted on September 27, at 7:10 a.m. from Grant County International Airport (MWH), flying for 8 minutes at an altitude of 3,500 feet. The flight made possible after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the demonstration. Eviation says that the flight provided important data that will assist the company in the certification process and in optimizing the aircraft.  

The aircraft is driven by three electric motors and features zero carbon emission. It is targeted for the regional and short flight market and will typically operate flights ranging from 150 miles to 250 miles, mainly for commuters. It can carry up to nine passengers for 620 miles and 260 knots operating speed.  Until now, the company received letters of intents from companies intending to place orders for 140  cargo and commuter aircrafts. In April 2022, Massachusetts’ Cape Air announced its intention to place  order for seventy-five units, and few weeks ago, Eviation reported another letter of intent received from  Miami’s GlobalX, showing interest in purchasing fifty electric Alice aircrafts. 

Industry game changer 

In August 2021 Eviation reported its first cargo customer, when DHL Express placed an order for 12 Alice eCargo aircrafts, an electric plane capable of carrying 2600 pounds for a five hundred miles range. Cape  Air Founder and Board Chairman Dan Wolf said: “The first flight of Alice is a landmark that will change the aviation industry. We currently fly more than four hundred regional flights per day, connecting more than thirty cities across the United States and Caribbean. Alice can easily cover 80 percent of our flight  operations, bringing sustainable, emission-free travel to the communities we serve.” 

Geoff Kehr, Senior Vice President, Global Air Fleet Management, DHL Express, said: “Our order of 12  Alice e-cargo planes was intended to realize our target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Alice is  the true game-changer by enabling long distance air transport for the first time with zero emissions”. 

One of the company’s first major investor was the venture capital fund Ilan Holdings, founded by  Michael Ilan, founder of Isralift Elevators. Liora Ettinger, Ilan Holdings’ CEO said: “We are proud to support and accompany Eviation, the management and the technological team as the first company’s investor. We believe that Eviation and the all-electric aircraft are leading for a profound change of the industry”. 

The founder retired this year 

Eviation was founded in 2015 by CEO Omer Bar-Yohay and Chairman and major investor Aviv Tzidon, formerly founder of BVR System that was purchased by Elbit in 2009 for $34 million. As mentioned, the 

Ilan Holdings fund also joined them as a major investor. The company raised $200 million, but in September 2019 it was purchased and became a subsidiary of Clermont Aerospace group.  

The acquisition was done when Clermont was investing a convertible loan of $76 million for its 70% stake at the beginning of 2019. Currently, the company operates from its headquarters at Arlington  Municipal Airport, north of Seattle and from the offices at Kadima, Israel. Earlier this year, CEO and co founder Omer Bar-Yohay had retired, and Gregory Davis, formerly aerospace manager at Viking Air Ltd.  in Canada and at Marshall Aerospace in Britain, assumed the role of interim CEO. 

 

Cape Air to purchase 75 all electric commuter aircrafts from Eviation

Posted on by Techtime

Regional carrier Cape Air Company have signed Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Israeli Eviation Aircraft Company for the purchase of 75 all electric Alice commuter aircraft, which can accommodate nine passengers and two crew. This engagement is part of Cape Air’s efforts to set up an unparalleled regional electric fleet and reduce its Carbon Footprint. Already in 2019, Cape Air announced its intentions to purchase several Alice aircrafts. At the time, Eviation’s CEO and co-founder Omer Bar-Yohay noted that its company is going to deliver their aircrafts to Cape Air at a $4 million each. Last August, Eviation has reported a purchase order of 12 aircrafts by DHL, the international shipping company.   

Massachusetts-based Cape Air is one of the largest commuter airlines in the United States. The company flies more than 400 regional flights a day to nearly 40 cities in the Northeast, Midwest, Montana and a direct line to the Caribbean. The company’s fleet contains about 100 Cessna, Britten-Norman and Tecnam aircrafts.

Electric aviation revolution

Eviation was founded in 2015 by CEO Omer Bar-Yohay and Chairman Aviv Tzidon, with an ambitious vision of to revolutionize the Global aviation industry with an innovative all-electric plane powered by thousands of Lithium batteries and capable of of transferring passengers to distant places, with faster schedules and lower costs. Three years ago, at the Paris Air Show, Eviation presented its first Alice prototype. It was designed for nine-sitters plus 2 crew members, and could fly for 625 miles with a single battery charge.

The plane is activated by 70,000 Lithium batteries scattered in its body, also serve for the purpose of balancing the frame. The total capacity of the batteries is 980 kWh, which allows for a 800 kilometers distance at a 480 KPH speed. The plane is equipped by 2 electric motors from the Seattle-based MagniX.

In 2017, the Singapore-based Clermont Group purchased Eviation, which announced its commitment to transform Eviation’s vision of electric flight into a commercial reality. Clermont’s owner is the New Zealand-born billionaire and philanthropist Richard Chandler, which carries the flag of promoting electric aviation globally.

DHL Express to purchase 12 Eviation all-electric planes

Posted on by Techtime

DHL Express, the world’s leading express service provider, ordered 12 all-electric Cargo planes from Israeli company Eviation. The plane, Alice eCargo, is flown by a single pilot and transports up to 2,600 lbs of cargo to a distance of 506 miles, where each flight hour requires 30 minutes of charging. Eviation said that an Alice planes operate in all environments currently serviced by standard piston aircraft, but its maintenance costs are lower.

Last month Eviation announced the completion of Alice’s commercial model. It expects to deliver the first Alice plane to DHL Express in 2024. DHL Express is a division of the German Deutsche Post. It transports 1.5 billion items annually from and to 220 countries around the globe. The company’s fleet holds 250 Airbus, ATR & Boeing planes. 

DHL Express, together with its parent company, Deutsche Post, took several initiatives at the past years in order to accomplish the company’s vision regarding zero emissions. Major steps in the path to fulfill this vision are the electrification of last-mile delivery fleet, and the announcement of zero emissions target by 2050. This current partnering with Eviation is another major step towards realization of this vision.

Electric aviation revolution

Eviation was founded in 2015 by CEO Omer Bar-Yohay and Chairman Aviv Tzidon, with an ambitious vision of to revolutionize the Global aviation industry with an innovative all-electric plane powered by thousands of Lithium batteries and capable of of transferring passengers to distant places, with faster schedules and lower costs. Two years ago, at the Paris Air Show, Eviation presented its first Alice prototype. It was designed for nine-sitters plus 2 crew members, and could fly for 625 miles with a single battery charge.

The plane is activated by 70,000 Lithium batteries scattered in its body, also serve for the purpose of balancing the frame. The total capacity of the batteries is 980 kWh, which allows for a 460 miles distance at a 250 MPH speed. The plane is equipped by 2 electric motors from the Seattle-based MagniX Company, which its CEO, Roei Ganzarski, serves also as Eviation Executive Chairman. 

Eviation exposed its first commercial customer in 2019: the American Cape Air Company, which is one of the largest regional airlines in the U.S. Cape Air committed to a double-digit purchase option for Alice planes, and following certification in 2021, Eviation will begin shipping the aircraft for commercial use in 2022. Since then, Eviation reported 2 additional customers committed to purchase a total of 150 planes.

In 2017, the Singapore-based Clermont Group purchased Eviation, which announced its commitment to transform Eviation’s vision of electric flight into a commercial reality. Clermont’s owner is the New Zealand-born billionaire and philanthropist Richard Chandler, which carries the flag of promoting electric aviation globally.