The world’s first electric plane separated from its CEO in a mysterious defect
The Israel-based company, Eviation, said it plans to have three copies of it All-electric aircraft: a “passenger” version with nine passengers and two pilots, an executive version with six passengers and a specialized cargo plane. The nine-passenger version, which it calls “Alice,” will be able to fly for an hour and about 440 nautical miles after a 30-minute charge, the company said.
The evacuation was initially intended for Alice to make a flight before 2022, but he said poor weather conditions in the Pacific Northwest at the end of the year hampered testing. Alice has undergone several taxi tests since late 2021, and last month then-CEO Omar Bar Yohai told CNN Business that her first ride was “only weeks away”. Bar-Yohay did not mention an imminent change of CEO at this time.
On Monday, Bar-Yohay, who was also one of the founders of Eviation, left the company after seven years, being replaced by interim CEO and current Eviation president Gregory Davis. The company says the change is part of a “planned succession process” as Eviation moves from planning to producing Alice, according to a statement. He said the search for an executive is underway to fill the long-term CEO position.
But Bar Yohai said that while it was time for a change of direction, his departure was the result of a dispute within the company.
“It’s definitely part of a natural evolution. It’s time for the company to take the leap and really move from showing our prototype to manufacturing.” Having said that, there has been a long-running disagreement about exactly how and what the company should do going forward, and that has caused friction. Between me and the largest shareholder in the company. »
Bar Yohai refused to answer questions about the nature of the dispute. While Bar-Yohay said the change wasn’t a huge shock, he wasn’t sure how and when to announce it.
The main shareholder in Eviation is Richard Chandler, the New Zealand billionaire who owns the Claremont Group. The Singapore-based Clermont Group includes MagniX, sister company to Eviation and payment supplier. Last month, Eviation CEO and MagniX CEO Roy Ganczarski resigned from both positions. “I think there are some underlying causes [for our departures] Bar Yohai said. “There was no way to achieve this differently. The Claremont Group did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Although Ganczarski has not commented on the reasons for his departure from the two companies, he made the announcement last month “with a heavy heart,” according to a LinkedIn post. “I have no doubt that the future of aviation is electric. It must be for the good of our children and grandchildren. It is no longer a question of if, but only when and who. I leave MagniX and Eviation in a position to continue their leadership in this field.”
Ganczarski did not comment when asked if his departure was due to the same circumstances described by Bar Yohai. “Omar has done a tremendous job building a pioneering airline and exceptional aircraft with very limited resources,” Ganczarski told CNN Business when asked about the leadership change. “I am very proud of what he and his team have done.”
He said Bar-Yohay will remain involved in Eviation as a board member and investor going forward.
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