In planning since 2016.

In June 2019 Eviation Aircraft was preparing to start flight testing Alice, its new all-electric regional airliner, in the U.S. En route to its U.S. base in Prescott, Arizona, the Israeli start-up company brought its full-scale prototype of the nine-seat, all-composite design to the Paris Air Show in June 2019 and announced a “double-digit” launch order for the $4 million aircraft from U.S. operator Cape Air.

In June 2019 Eviation Aircraft was preparing to start flight testing Alice, its new all-electric regional airliner, in the U.S. En route to its U.S. base in Prescott, Arizona, the Israeli start-up company brought its full-scale prototype of the nine-seat, all-composite design to the Paris Air Show in June and announced a “double-digit” launch order for the $4 million aircraft from U.S. operator Cape Air.

On 27 September 2022 the Alice first flew, from Grant County International Airport, Washington State, USA.

The world’s first flight was for eight-minutes. The successful maiden flight reached an altitude of 3,500 feet (1,067m) and the zero-emissions plane was powered by two 640-kilowatt electric motors.

Eviation expected the path to FAA Part 23 type certification to take between 24 to 30 months after the Alice achieves its first flight by the end of 2019, allowing for entry into service by the end of 2022. It was set to be the first Part 23 all-electric aircraft and the first with full fly-by-wire flight controls. The manufacturer claimed it was fully funded through to the start of series production.

The requirements for an all-electric plane are very different from those of conventional aircraft. The biggest challenge is weight, thanks to the fact that batteries provide considerably less mileage to the pound compared to energy-dense jet fuels.

That makes slashing the weight of other components a priority and the plane features lightweight composite materials “where no composite has gone before,”. Eviation has also done away with the bulky mechanical systems used to adjust control surfaces on the wings, and replaced them with a much lighter fly-by-wire system that uses electronic actuators controlled via electrical wires.

The company’s engineers have had to deal with a host of other complications too, from having to optimize the aerodynamics to the unique volume and weight requirements dictated by the batteries to integrating brakes designed for much heavier planes.

Eviation says the Alice will be comparable in price to similar sized turboprop aircraft like the Beechcraft King Air and cheaper than small business jets like the Embraer Phenom 300. And crucially the relative simplicity of electrical motors and actuators compared with mechanical control systems and turboprops or jets means maintenance costs will be markedly lower.

In Feb 2022 the first commercial all-electric passenger plane was just weeks away from its maiden flight, according to its maker Israeli startup Eviation. If successful, the nine-seater Alice aircraft would be the most compelling demonstration yet of the potential for battery-powered flight.

The Alice was undergoing high-speed taxi tests at Arlington Municipal Airport close to Seattle. This involved subjecting all of the plane’s key systems and fail-safe mechanisms to a variety of different scenarios to ensure they are operating as expected before its first flight. The company was five or six good weather days away from completing those tests, after which the plane should be cleared for takeoff.

The Alice should ultimately be capable of cruising speeds of 250 knots (463 kph) and a maximum range of 440 nautical miles (815 km).

The company has already received advance orders from logistics giant DHL and Massachusetts-based regional airline Cape Air.

Even accounting for the need to replace batteries every 3,000 flight hours, Eviation expects Alice’s operating costs to be about half those of similar sized aircraft.

In 2025 Electric aviation’s prospects took a hit after a leading developer paused work on its prototype aircraft.
Eviation laid off the majority of its staff and halted development of its all-electric Alice, designed for two crew and as many as nine passengers. The manufacturer struggles to secure funding to keep the project alive.
Founded one decade ago, Eviation unveiled its first one-quarter-scale Alice prototype, “The Orca,” at the 2017 Paris Air Show. At the 2019 event, it revealed the first full-scale prototype of the regional commuter aircraft. Since then, though, the model has undergone more redesigns (two) than test flights.

Alice was conceived as a middle-mile aircraft, designed for short-hop, city-to-city flights spanning about 250 nm. Its two electric engines produce zero emissions. According to the company, they are cheaper, quieter, and require less maintenance than combustion engines. The aircraft can carry nine passengers or up to 2,500 pounds of cargo, with a top speed of 260 ktas.

Eviation has taken more than 600 orders for Alice, including from DHS Express, Air New Zealand, and GlobalX.

The program would not be fully shut down but did not elaborate further.

According to SMG Consulting’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Reality Index, which tracks investments in manufacturers of electric and other AAM aircraft, Eviation has received $200 million in funding. Its last funding raise was in 2019.

Engines: 2 x Magni 650, 640 kW
Wingspan: 62 ft 10 in / 19.15 m
Length: 60 ft 9 in / 18.52 m
Height: 14 ft / 4.28 m
MTOW: 16,500 lb
Payload (Commuter): 2,500 lb
Typical Cruise Speed: 250 kts
Max cruise speed: 250 kts
Max Range: 440 NM
Climb Rate: 2,000 ft/min
Landing Distance: 2,040 ft
Take-off Distance: 2,600 ft