Photo: Beta Technologies
After partnering with the US Air Force to install the first-ever charging station at a USAF base, Beta Technologies is taking another major step toward electric aircraft operations across America. One of its charging stations will become the first one dedicated to both electric aircraft and ground vehicles in the state of Massachusetts.
If we are to believe visionary folks in the aviation industry, it won't be long until zero-emission cars, buses, and aircraft will be charging at dedicated stations all over the world. All-electric commercial flights are about to become a reality, and adequate charging infrastructure is part of that.
The Marshfield Municipal Airport is paving the way for that with the installation of a brand-new charging station. It will include Level-3 and Level-2 fast chargers. The Level-3 charger inside the fence will be dedicated to aircraft. The second one, located in the parking lot, will be available for EVs. Lastly, the Level-2 one will be used for public transportation vehicles.
This is a multi-model, inter-operable solution developed by Beta Technologies, better known for its all-electric flagship, the Alia aircraft. Beta was brought in for this project by Shoreline Aviation, the operator and airport management company at Marshfield. The local electric company (Eversource) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division (MassDOT Aeronautics) were also key partners.
During the recent launch event, guests watched a demonstration of the Alia aircraft being charged. An electric bus provided by the Regional Transit Authority was also charged at the public-access carside station. In the near future, cars, buses, and air taxis will recharge side by side at the Marshfield Airport. Air taxis are the last piece of the puzzle, set up to kick off commercial operation in two to three years from now.
Alia flew to Massachusetts for the event from Plattsburgh, New York. That is where Beta Technologies operates a flight test center. At the beginning of this year, the manufacturer completed what claimed to be the first piloted eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) flight test in New York.
The Alia-250 took off from the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York. Initially, it flew alongside a conventional helicopter. The second time, it completed a second pass over the airport, confirming drastically lower noise levels compared to the chopper.
Last year, the all-electric Alia hit another milestone in terms of eVTOL performance. Several Alia aircraft traveled from Plattsburgh, New York, to Louisville, Kentucky, covering more than 870 miles (1,400 km).
Beta is also focusing on charging infrastructure for its aircraft and all-electric air taxis, or EVs, through agnostic, modular concepts such as The Charge Cube and The Charge Pad. This is laying out an extended charging network across the country in preparation for upcoming air taxi services.
The Marshfield Municipal Airport is paving the way for that with the installation of a brand-new charging station. It will include Level-3 and Level-2 fast chargers. The Level-3 charger inside the fence will be dedicated to aircraft. The second one, located in the parking lot, will be available for EVs. Lastly, the Level-2 one will be used for public transportation vehicles.
This is a multi-model, inter-operable solution developed by Beta Technologies, better known for its all-electric flagship, the Alia aircraft. Beta was brought in for this project by Shoreline Aviation, the operator and airport management company at Marshfield. The local electric company (Eversource) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division (MassDOT Aeronautics) were also key partners.
During the recent launch event, guests watched a demonstration of the Alia aircraft being charged. An electric bus provided by the Regional Transit Authority was also charged at the public-access carside station. In the near future, cars, buses, and air taxis will recharge side by side at the Marshfield Airport. Air taxis are the last piece of the puzzle, set up to kick off commercial operation in two to three years from now.
Alia flew to Massachusetts for the event from Plattsburgh, New York. That is where Beta Technologies operates a flight test center. At the beginning of this year, the manufacturer completed what claimed to be the first piloted eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) flight test in New York.
The Alia-250 took off from the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York. Initially, it flew alongside a conventional helicopter. The second time, it completed a second pass over the airport, confirming drastically lower noise levels compared to the chopper.
Last year, the all-electric Alia hit another milestone in terms of eVTOL performance. Several Alia aircraft traveled from Plattsburgh, New York, to Louisville, Kentucky, covering more than 870 miles (1,400 km).
Beta is also focusing on charging infrastructure for its aircraft and all-electric air taxis, or EVs, through agnostic, modular concepts such as The Charge Cube and The Charge Pad. This is laying out an extended charging network across the country in preparation for upcoming air taxi services.
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