Fly 130 km for Rs 700!!! World's first all-electric aircraft completes flight carrying passengers

WASHINGTON: Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 electric plane has successfully completed its journey carrying passengers. This is the first all-electric passenger aircraft in aviation history. Earlier this month, the plane, which flew from East Hampton to John F. Kennedy Airport in the US with four passengers, covered 70 nautical miles (130 km) in just 30 minutes, a media outlet reported.

A helicopter costs Rs 13,885 to fly the same distance. However, the electric plane costs just Rs 694. Moreover, since there are no engines or propellers, passengers can talk comfortably and sit in peace. Even when the pilot's salary is included, this electric plane is very profitable, said Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies.

Founded in 2017, Beta Technologies, headquartered in Vermont, recently raised $318 million in funding to accelerate the production, certification, and commercialization of electric aircraft. The company’s current goal is to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for the aircraft by the end of this year.

Beta aircraft are capable of flying up to 250 nautical miles on a single charge, the company claims, making them ideal for intercity and suburban travel. This class of aircraft has been known as flying taxis.