If the notion of flying 160 kilometers on just over $5 sounds preposterous, say hello to the Pipistrel Alpha Electro.
The world’s first serially produced ultra-light aircraft with an electric motor, the initial prototype of the Slovenia-manufactured aircraft was launched in 2016.
Weighing 300 kilograms in total — including the 100kg 21-kilowatt-per-hour battery — the aircraft allows for an hour of flight, is able to carry two passengers, is capable of covering almost 160 kilometers, and can be charged in roughly an hour.
What sets the $140,000 machine apart from other similar aircraft, however, is its 60-kilowatt electric engine.
“The cost of electricity per hour of flight is roughly between $4 and $6,” said Krzysztof Będkowski of Pipistrel Alpha Poland.
