Eviation Alice

The Eviation Alice is a projected electric aircraft designed to accommodate nine passengers and two crew. Currently under development, it is of 95% composite material construction, is powered by three electric motors in pusher configuration and has a V-tail.

Alice
Role Electric aircraft
National origin Israel
Manufacturer Eviation Aircraft
First flight planned 2020[1]
Introduction planned 2022
Status Under development
Unit cost
$4 million.[2]

Design

Two variants of the Alice were originally planned. The initial, unpressurized model is intended for air taxi operations, with energy stored in a lithium-ion battery. Eviation was working on building a prototype scheduled to fly in early 2019. In 2017, a second pressurized model was to be an extended-range ER executive aircraft available by 2023 for $2.9 million, with a more powerful aluminum-air battery with a lithium-polymer buffer, a cabin pressurized to 1,200 m (4,000 ft) at FL 280, G5000 avionics, a 444 km/h (240 kn) cruise and 1,367 km (738 nmi) range.[3] In October 2019, Eviation described only the pressurized Alice Commuter with a 260 kn (480 km/h) cruise speed.[4]

With 260 Wh/kg cells, the 900 kWh battery capacity (3,460 kg, 7,630 lb) is initially estimated to give the design a range of 540–650 nmi (1,000–1,200 km) at 240 knots and 10,000 ft (3,048 m). This is anticipated to increase as battery technology improves. The batteries have been tested to more than 1,000 cycles, equivalent to 3,000 flight hours, and will then require replacement at a cost of $250,000 - half of the direct operating cost, similar to a piston engine overhaul. Based on U.S. industrial electricity prices, the direct operating cost with nine passengers and two crew, flying at 240 kn (440 km/h), is claimed to be $200 per hour, which compares to $600–1,000 per hour for existing aircraft of similar purchase price such as the Cessna 402s, Pilatus PC-12 and Beechcraft King Air, for operations on routes under 500 nmi (930 km).[5][6] 45% of air routes fall within its 565 nmi (1,050 km) range at 260 kn (482 km/h), or 55% of airline flights according to Flightglobal's Cirium data.[7] While the cost of operation per hour is much lower than for a turboprop aircraft, the Alice will be slower than some.[1]

The electric drivetrain will have a higher voltage than current electrical systems. Three 260 kW (350 hp) motors drive two pusher propellers mounted on the wingtips, located in the vortices to improve efficiency, and a third mounted in the tail. The unpressurized aircraft has a flat lower fuselage. The Italian company Magnaghi Aeronautica supplies landing gear and has already produced the gear for the similarly sized Piaggio P.180 Avanti.[5] It will be built with existing technology, including a composite airframe, propulsion from three Siemens electric engines and Honeywell flight control systems, including automatic landing. At 3,700kg (8,200lb), the batteries account for 60% of the aircraft take-off weight.[8] Manufacturing is planned in the US.[9]

The company plans for recharging to be carried out by mobile charging vehicles, similar to aviation fuel trucks. Each hour of flight time is expected to require a charging time of 30 minutes.[10][11]

Development
The prototype at the June 2019 Paris Air Show

Eviation was founded in 2015 by Omer Bar-Yohay, Omri Regev and Aviv Tzidon.[12] Risk-sharing partnerships have enabled work to go ahead.[5]

In February 2018, a 650 lb (290 kg) scale model UAV was flown to validate the aerodynamics and flight controls. Kokam was selected to supply pouch lithium polymer batteries to power the full-scale prototype. Work on the power system and drive train was begun.[5][13]

Eviation teamed up with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) to launch a research and development program in the spring of 2019 at ERAU’s Prescott, Arizona campus. The program would focus on performance analysis, validation and testing, along with preliminary design and sub-scale testing of future electric propulsion and airframe design concepts.[10]

By early 2019, Eviation had secured $200 million of investment to cover certification and production while the first prototype was assembled in Vannes, northwest France.[6] In April 2019, Eviation selected MagniX Magni250s 375 shp (280 kW) electric motors turning at 1,900 rpm as an alternative power option to Siemens 260 kW motors.[7]

At the June Paris Air Show, a full-size static Alice was exhibited.[9] The first airline customer was announced: Hyannis, Massachusetts-based Cape Air.[8] Cape Air ordered 92 aircraft, priced at $4 million.[2]

MagniX investor Clermont Group from Singapore took a 70% stake in Eviation Aircraft in August 2019.[14] By October 2019, over 150 Alice aircraft had been ordered by two American companies. Further investment of $500 million was still needed to begin serial production.[1]

On 22 January 2020, a fire broke out, apparently in a ground-based battery system, and the prototype was destroyed.[15][16] No one was injured.[17]

On 18 May 2020, GKN Aerospace announced their partnership with Eviation on the design and manufacture of the wing, empennage and electrical wiring interconnection system of subsequent Alice airframes.[18]

Specifications (claimed)

Data from Eviation[19]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: 9 passengers, maximum payload of 1,134 kg (2,500 lb)
  • Length: 13.2 m (43.3 ft)
  • Wingspan: 16.12 m (52 ft 11 in)
  • Height: 4.2 m (13.8 ft)
  • Max takeoff weight: 6,350 kg (14,000 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 920 kWh, 3,600 kg Li-ion
  • Powerplant: 3 × electric motors total 260–900 kW (350–1,210 hp) cruise/peak

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 444 km/h (276 mph, 240 kn)
  • Range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) +45min IFR reserve
  • Service ceiling: 3,800 m (12,500 ft)

See also

References
  1. "Orders for a new all-electric plane now top 150". Bloomberg. 24 October 2019.
  2. "Electric Planes, Flying Taxis, Supersonic Jets: Paris Air Show Gives Us a Peek at the Future of Flight". Fortune. 22 June 2019.
  3. Paul Jackson (8 October 2017). "Emerging Aircraft: Props And Turboprops". Aviation Week Network.
  4. "Alice Commuter". Eviation. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  5. Graham Warwick (26 February 2018). "Batteries Ready To Power Electric Regional Aircraft, Says Eviation". Aviation Week & Space Technology.(subscription required)
  6. Kate Sarsfield (8 January 2019). "Eviation secures funding for all-electric Alice". Flightglobal.
  7. Jon Hemmerdinger (22 April 2019). "MagniX to supply Eviation Alice motors as all-electric advances". Flightglobal.
  8. Kate Sarsfield (18 June 2019). "Cape air named as launch customer for the Alice electric aircraft". Flightglobal.
  9. "Eviation unveils electric airplane and plans flight tests in central Washington state". Geek Wire. 18 June 2019.
  10. Kerry Lynch and Chad Trautvetter (28 December 2018). "Eviation, ERAU Join Forces on Electric Aircraft". AIN online.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  11. "Eviation Secures 150 Total Orders for its All-Electric Commuter Aircraft". Transport Up. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  12. Simon Griver (3 September 2019). "Clermont buys Israeli electric aircraft co Eviation". Globes.
  13. Grady, Mary (6 March 2018). "Eviation Chooses Battery Supplier". AVweb.
  14. Kate Sarsfield (30 August 2019). "Clermont acquires Eviation Aircraft". Flightglobal.
  15. "First electric VTOL Lilium Jet prototype goes up in flames: Updated". FlightGlobal. 2 March 2020. Eviation’s Alice fixed-wing prototype was destroyed by a blaze on 22 January that started in a ground-based battery system.
  16. O'Connor, Kate (24 January 2020). "Eviation Electric Aircraft Prototype Damaged In Testing Fire". AVweb. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  17. "Electric Plane Catches Fire Last Night". Plane & Pilot Magazine. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  18. "GKN Aerospace and Eviation sign Collaboration Agreement on Wing, Empennage and EWIS for Alice All-Electric Aircraft". 18 May 2019.
  19. "ALICE SPECIFICATION". Eviation.
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