South Korean leasing company Solyu has signed a letter of intent with Eviation covering 25 Alice all-electric commuter aircraft, the companies announced on Wednesday. The LOI, which includes an option for an additional 25 aircraft, marks the first such “order” for the nine-seat Alice since Eviation outsourced its design work to Seattle-based engineering firm TLG Aerospace.

Eviation claims now to have secured $5 billion worth of orders since it began marketing the aircraft in 2015. The vehicle became the first all-electric commuter aircraft to take flight when it took off last September from Grant County International Airport in Washington State. However, it has yet to fly again, and development has slowed while TLG works on designing the production configuration and Eviation looks for “key production partners.” Eviation said it expects to gain FAA certification under Part 23 rules in 2027.

"With aviation regulations focusing on sustainability and airlines demanding to reduce their carbon footprint, we see Alice as a major contributor to meeting those targets,” said Solyu president Andrew Claerbout. “In addition to its zero emissions, Alice's flexible layout and low operating costs will provide operators opportunities to open new markets."

Despite the apparent slowdown in development, the Alice continues to draw commercial interest. Apart from the Solyu LOI, UK-based aircraft leasing group Monte signed a letter of intent covering the purchase of up to 30 Alice aircraft. Other customers include DHL Express (12 aircraft), Cape Air (75), Australia’s Northern Territory Air Service (20), Air New Zealand (23), Mexican regional airline Aerus (30), German regional airline Evia Aero (25), and Miami-based charter and cargo flight provider GlobalX (50).