Eviation Aircraft

In September, a small plane took off from a runway in central Washington State and returned eight minutes later. A short trip, but a big moment: the first flight of an all-electric passenger aircraft. Eviation’s plane, Alice, was the result of seven years of engineering and development. “In cars, you can change the vehicle structure so it supports the weight of the batteries,” CEO Gregory Davis says. “It’s a bit more challenging with an airplane.” Alice’s range is a bit under 300 miles, but it’s enough for the commuter carriers interested in zero emissions and saving money on fuel. Eviation has orders for more than 400 planes, worth over $4 billion, with major customers like Air New Zealand and DHL.

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Write to Alejandro de la Garza at alejandro.delagarza@time.com.