We have good news to report from Eviation. It released the news ahead of the Paris Le Bourget air show. The company has chosen the magniX magni250 propulsion system for its 9-seat electric airplane, Alice.
How much energy does it take to get 9 passengers into the air with an electric plane (e-plane)? It turns out 375 HP magni250 will be an option, which so far has undergone more than 1,500 hours of testing.
Eviation Choses magniX magni250
According to Eviation CEO Omer Bar-Yohay, whom we already interviewed last year and have been covering since 2017, the current aviation industry is estimated to contribute about 12% of all U.S. carbon emissions and 4.9% globally. Shifting to an electric propulsion system makes sense for that reason alone, if not also for its cost efficiency, low maintenance, and on-demand travel potential for passengers and freight.
Not only will electric air mobility reduce operating costs and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, but it could also make urban air mobility (UAM) more affordable. Various companies and startups are now aiming to match road fares.
Eviation says it is continuing testing this year and certification by the end of 2021. It aims for commercial use by 2022.
Omer said:
“We have been successfully testing the magniX system with our Alice aircraft propeller for quite some time now with great results. We will begin manufacturing battery-powered fleets this year for our U.S. regional carrier customers, with a value proposition that reduces their operating costs by up to 70 percent. In 2017, Americans spent $1 trillion traveling distances between 50 and 650 miles. Our goal is to undercut the cost of commuting by making middle mile trips cheaper, faster and cleaner. Together with magniX we’re providing an economically and environmentally sustainable mobility solution that will forever change the face of aviation, and consumer travel.”
magniX CEO Roei Ganzarski added:
“Electrifying middle-mile aviation with fixed wing aircraft flying between the plethora of existing airports is a logical first step toward better connecting communities. Together with like-minded leading partners like Eviation, we will see all-electric planes powered by our propulsions systems go into commercial service by 2022, enabling flexible, clean air-travel and package-delivery options at a fraction of today’s prices.”
With a maximum takeoff weight of 6,350 kg (about 14,000 lb), the Alice electric passenger aircraft should fly 650 miles (208 nm) cruising at about 240 knots (276 MPH), with a service ceiling of 30,000 feet — enough to clear traffic on hour-long flights.
Eviation wants to be the first company that offers a “fully operational” commuter e-plane. Alice will be shown at the 2019 Paris Air Show held June 17–23 in Le Bourget, France. And to repeat, the Eviation Alice will have a 650-mile range on a full charge (editor’s note: which is sort of funny and sort of cool to see applied to a plane).
Working on “Middle Mile” transit – passenger transportation up to 1,000 miles – is where e-planes can make a dent — financially and with regard to greenhouse gas emissions.
The partnership means both aviation companies can work on further progress with Eviation’s board in the United States, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), 9 additional partners for the Alice, and magniX’s partner Harbour Air, a Canada-based seaplane operator we recently wrote about. (See: Harbour Air Is Switching Over To 100% Electric Seaplanes.)
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