Eviation Aircraft, a global manufacturer of all-electric air mobility solutions, and Kokam, a battery manufacturer based in South Korea, have announced details for a battery supply deal worth over $1 million. These batteries will be used to power Eviation's Alice aircraft, set to fly by the end of this year.
Eviation’s zero-emissions solution, the Alice, leverages an IP portfolio that includes thermal management and autonomous landing, as well as distributed electric propulsion, battery technology provided by Kokam, and composite body frames capable of carrying up to nine passengers on a single charge for 650 miles.
Beginning with its patented manufacturing process, Kokam's battery solutions feature a compact battery cell design, an industry-leading energy density of 260 Watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and a long cycle life, making them optimized to achieve light, energy efficient solutions meeting the safety demands of an aircraft. While the company's battery solutions have been used in aerial, ground, surface, and underwater drone applications for military, commercial, and industrial purposes, this deal with Eviation marks the first time they will be used in manned aerial flights of regional commuter aircrafts.
"Eviation is taking the electric transportation revolution to its next logical level: the air," said Ike Hong, vice president of Kokam's Power Solutions Division. "While the aviation sector is behind those on the ground in electrifying, today's battery capabilities are both more compact and with higher energy density than earlier technology, already able to power flights of 500 miles or less, a distance encompassing half of the world's 4.5 billion flights annually.