According to Davis, Eviation had the advantage of just missing the turmoil of the world’s biggest supply chain disruption. Electrification requires a big shift in materials, parts, and sourcing.
The overall demand in the global aerospace supply chain in the next 20 to 30 years represents a tremendous economic opportunity worth hundreds of billions of dollars. “We've got a really good tailwind from the overall aerospace supply chain in terms of battery availability and some of those other technologies,” said Davis.
Alice is being certified under existing standards, meaning that the design, materials, safety, and all operating considerations are dictated by current regulations. Everything must be aerospace grade. The fact that Alice is designed for regional use means it will have a longer operating life than typical non-electric planes. The company is paying attention to its environmental footprint every step of the way, whether designing the mainframe or selecting the leather for the interiors.
“We looked at how airplanes are serviced today with fuel trucks that come to the airplane,” Davis explained. “We’re working with the concept of e-bowsers, battery trucks that can drive up to the aircraft, wherever it is, and transfer power through DC-to-DC charging.”