EV's are not just about ground transportation anymore

A little over four years ago in 2018, Faith Technologies displayed our first containerized microgrid system at the Experimental Aircraft Association's fly-in in Oshkosh, WI. It was, at that time, a novel, drop in place off grid energy solution.

During the air show, we were fortunate to have Pipistrel Aircraft ask to charge their all electric Alpha Electro from our microgrid solution. A great application of off-grid generation technology paired with a zero emissions aircraft.

I thought this was a great breakthrough in aviation technology with a bright future, while many thought an all electric aircraft was a novelty, good for personal, recreational, short hop flights.

Fast forward to today and meet "Alice", Eviation's all electric aircraft, completing her first flight test at the end of September.

Her commercial passenger capacity seats nine with an air range of 250 nautical miles and a top speed of 300 mph. In her cargo configuration, Alice can carry up to 2500 lbs.. While Eviation does not expect to start producing commercial units until 2027 (FAA certification requires a great deal of testing and flight time), they have already received orders for 125 air craft from short hop regional airlines as well as orders for cargo versions from DHL and GlobalX.

This is just the first in a coming trend of zero emission commercial electric aircraft. Airbus and other vendors are working on and flying prototypes of vertical takeoff and landing electric "air buses" for short hop flights in urban areas. With lower fuel costs and easier refueling, coupled with lower maintenance costs, electric aircraft offer the potential for a lower cost of ownership then conventional, fossil fueled air craft for many applications.

To the naysayers of 2018, welcome to the future of aviation, a more cost effective, quieter, lower emission world of flight.

For more on Alice and Eviation, click on the following link to Eviation's website:

https://www.eviation.com/ which includes a video of Alice's maiden flight.