Commuter airline to buy 75 Washington-built electric planes

ARLINGTON, Wash. (AP) — Eviation Aircraft, an Arlington company that has built a fully electric commuter airplane, got a hefty boost this week when one of the nation’s largest commuter airlines, Cape Air, signed a letter of intent to buy 75 of the Eviation Alice model. The nine-passenger airplane produces no carbon emissions. It’s expected to take a maiden flight this year. Cape Air, based in Hyannis, Massachusetts, operates more than 400 regional flights a day to nearly 40 cities. Cape Air says deploying a fleet of all-electric planes will significantly reduce carbon emissions, cut maintenance and operational costs and give passengers “a smoother and quieter flight experience.”