A solar-powered plane completed its maiden flight successfully on Monday, bringing it a step closer to its intended goal, a trip around the world targeted for next year.

The Solar Impulse 2 (SI2) successfully completed its inaugural flight for more than 2 hours, exceeding the mark by about half an hour than expected, according to Discovery News.

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The SI2 is designed based on lessons learned from the first prototype, the HB-SIA.

The SI2 is a one-seater with a 72 meter wing span and is made of lightweight carbon fiber. It weighs about 2.3 tons, roughly equivalent to the weight of a car. At least 17,000 solar cells are built into the wing and powers four 17.5 horsepower electric motors. During the day, the solar cells recharge the plane's 633 kg lithium batteries, which allow the aircraft to fly even at night, according to the manufacturer's website.

The maiden flight was piloted by German test pilot, Markus Scherdel, who also flew the first prototype for approximately 26 hours in 2010, Daily Mail learned.

Solar Impulse's founders, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, are encouraged by the success of the SI2's maiden flight, saying that it was an important step which leads them closer to their goal of flying around the world continuously for more than 120 hours.

"SI2 incorporates a vast amount of new technology to render it more efficient, reliable and in particular better adapted to long haul flights," Borschberg said.

"It is the first aircraft which will have almost unlimited endurance."

In the following months, more test flights will be conducted to gain certification from the aviation authorities.

The upcoming flight around the world is targeted for March 2015 and will start in the Gulf, moving eastwards to arrive back at its take off point.

According to Discovery News, the plane will pass the Arabian Sea, Myanmar, China, the Pacific Ocean, United States, southern Europe and North Africa.

At night, a reduced flight speed will be maintained at 46 kilometers per hour to save on power. The plane will be piloted by Solar Impulse's founders, Piccard and Borschberg, who have made their names in the field of aeronautics.

Piccard is most known for being the first person to have circumnavigated the world in a hot air balloon in 1999, while Borschberg is a former air force pilot.

Tagssolar impulse, solar impulse 2, bertrand piccard, andre borschberg, Markus Scherdel, solar energy, solar power, solar plane, aeronautics, Science news, technology news, green technology, renewable energy