Faster than a speeding bullet, more efficient than a locomotive, able to leap 600 miles in a single charge, the infant of Israel is now the star of the 52nd Paris Air Show: Superplane!
Actually, while most of that is basically true, the plane is actually named Alice.
Alice Commuter, to be exact. She’s an all-electric aircraft, boasting a cruise speed of nearly 300 MPH and a max takeoff weight of just under 12,000 pounds, with space for nine passengers and two pilots.
According to its Kadima-based manufacturer, Eviation Aircraft, the Alice is able to achieve those startling stats thanks to a new zero-emissions aluminum air battery system that weighs 600 pounds and is “managed by a clever mission specific power analytic algorithm.”
At the plane’s unveiling in Paris, Eviation — which is a member of NASA’s on-demand mobility program — said an Alice production model should arrive in 2020 with a luxury one to follow.
Even better, with a price point of about $2.5 million, the planes will give airlines and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft a new, more affordable way to transport passengers on short notice.
“We design, test and build the tools that will enable [the] future of regional transit by air, changing consumers’ perception of both distance and time,” said Eviation CEO Omer Bar-Yohay. “With this aircraft, air taxi operators will be able to serve customers on-demand travel [to] the nearest landing strip for the price of a train ticket.”
We’re not sure if Uber will even still be around in 2020, but we hope they’re paying attention.
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