--- title: "Alice, the first all-electric passenger airplane, takes flight" description: "At Moses Lake, the first brand-new electric commuter aircraft takes off." author: "Muskan Singh" published: 2022-09-28 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/2032/alice-the-first-all-electric-passenger-airplane-takes-flight category: "technology" tags: ["electric vehicle", "science and technology", "aviation mro software industry"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # Alice, the first all-electric passenger airplane, takes flight After several months of waiting, a **sleek all-electric aircraft prototype buzzed like a hornet at the end of the runway on Tuesday at 7:10 a.m.** before accelerating off and taking off above Central Washington. The aircraft climbed to 3,500 feet and made two long spins around the airfield. People on the ground could hear a buzzing noise coming from the propellers at the back of the aircraft as it went directly overhead. Only eight minutes later, the plane made a safe landing. When the pilot cranked the engines, it made a few more loud buzzes as it taxied into the terminal. The **Arlington-based firm Eviation designed and built the aircraft, which can accommodate nine passengers and one or two pilots, to show off the viability of an electric commercial commuter aircraft that travels a few hundred miles between cities at a height of about 15,000 feet.** It is powered by little more than 21,500 tiny **Tesla-style battery cells**, which, at slightly more than 4 tonnes, account for more than half of the weight of the carbon composite airframe. They power electric motors created and produced in Everett by **MagniX**. This area is at the forefront of attempts to create an [aviation industry](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/105366/how-does-ai-impact-the-aviation-industry) that is **zero-emission and [sustainable](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/23400/how-to-build-sustainable-homes) thanks to the cutting-edge technologies.** However, it is incredibly dubious whether it will be able to provide the kind of financial gains required to replace other forms of air travel. Greg Davis, the CEO of Eviation, acknowledged that the prototype that took off on Tuesday is not the one the business will ultimately build in an interview at Moses Lake on the eve of the inaugural [**flight**](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1929/the-63-year-old-record-for-the-longest-flight-was-closely-broke-before-the-us-drone-got-crashed). He claimed that for **Eviation's planes to be economically viable, battery [technology advancements](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114213/how-are-education-trends-shifting-with-technology-advancements) that have not yet been made are necessary.** 'Can the prototype aircraft's batteries power the [certification](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13065/an-investment-in-certification-software-gives-peace) aircraft and provide enough energy to drive it? Absolutely not, is the response, according to Davis. In a February interview, Davis had stated that he would work tirelessly to get a [manufacturing](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/167329/improving-productivity-within-the-manufacturing-industry) variant of the plane approved for passenger operation in 2024. He stated that objective is probably [five years](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/39990/which-is-the-highest-body-that-approves-five-years-plans-in-the-country) away on Monday. Steve Crane, 55, the test pilot for the Eviation, stated that Alice 'flew and handled superbly' after exiting the cockpit. He proclaimed, 'It's beautiful. The guys created an excellent [**aeroplane**](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1212/the-us-federal-aviation-administration-warns-that-5g-wireless-service-might-still-disrupt-flights) and performed a fantastic job. The plane is swift and nimble. I am beyond content.' The **purpose of the brief test flight, according to Crane, was to evaluate the aircraft's stability and pitch authority [as well as](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/2481/can-you-write-a-java-class-that-could-be-used-both-as-an-applet-as-well-as-an-application) its ability to land safely.** You only need to move forward slowly, he continued. The name of the aircraft, which was created by engineers in Israel and [Washington state](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/43221/why-would-g-washington-state-the-united-states-would-be-friendly-and-impartial-in-regard-to-foreign-conflict), was influenced by **Lewis Carroll's fantastical tales of Alice's travels in Wonderland.** --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/2032/alice-the-first-all-electric-passenger-airplane-takes-flight Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.