Electric aircraft with near 1000km range

At the 52nd International Paris Air Show, Eviation Aircraft unveiled the first prototype of a new all-electric aircraft concept with a range of up to 965km.

While it was the prototype’s debut this week, Eviation says it is already flying proof of concept missions, and plans to move into certification and commercialisation as soon as next year, reports Electrek.

“At a time when we are more connected than ever, our mobility options must adapt to reflect this new, efficient future,” Omer Bar-Yohay, Eviation chief executive says.

“Whether it is a zero emissions, low-cost trip from Silicon Valley to San Diego, or Seoul to Beijing, our all-electric aircraft represents a chance for people to move with the speed and impact our global economy now demands.”

New efforts to deliver electric aircraft have been seen recently, but Eviation has the most aggressive timeline for commercialisation for a plane that could fly six to nine passengers plus two crew on long distances.

Furthermore, the company seems to be positioning itself as an Uber-like on-demand transport service, reports Electrek

.

Mark Moore, Uber Engineering director of aviation, says Eviation’s technology is impressive.

“Our focus at Uber is in galvanising the ecosystem necessary for urban VTOL electric vehicles to thrive for 20-60 mile trips that can provide massive time savings over ground transportation for long trips in cities.

“In parallel, we are encouraged to see bold new players like Eviation tackling challenges in different sectors using electric aviation. These players will help catalyse demand for new battery and rapid recharging technologies that are crucial to enable electric flight.”