All-electric commuter airplanes aim for market introduction in 2022

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Eviation Aircraft, an Israel-based company with plans to offer all-electric commuter aircraft, chose Germany's Siemens to supply propulsion systems and will test the new planned units this year, with commercial sales expected by 2022.

The planes will bring to the market new developments that include innovations in thermal management and autonomous landing, as well as distributed electric propulsion, battery technology and lighter composite body frames.

The plane, named Alice, will be capable of flying with nine passengers at 220 knots to a range of 650 miles on a single charge, the company said Wednesday.

Siemens can supply the "extremely low weight and high-power compact efficient motors" that meet the required aviation standards for commuter travel.

Eviation will work with Siemens for "a significant push toward bringing all-electric flight to regional markets."

"At Siemens, we believe that we are in a new era of aviation and mobility, an era that will be dominated by high-performing electric propulsion, automation and efficiency, which is why partnering with Eviation is so befitting," said Frank Anton, head of Siemen's eAircraft.

Siemens has been developing motors for 150 years. Eviation "serves on the electric aviation committees of the General Aviation Manufacturers' Association and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration," the company said.

The year 2018 was the first in which an all-electric airplane traveled around the earth, equipped only with an electric motor, batteries and solar panels.