Abstract: A powered utility knife has a housing defining a handle surface and an internal cavity. A shuttle plate assembly disposed for movement relative to the internal cavity, with a first surface in sliding engagement with an interior wall of the cavity includes a motor mounted to the shuttle plate and a blade carrier with a surface in sliding engagement with the shuttle plate. A drive assembly associated with the motor imparts effective cutting motion to a blade on the blade carrier. An activator protruding through a slot in the housing is configured for slidable translation along the slot to cause lateral movement of the shuttle plate assembly within the cavity. The blade, with the shuttle plate assembly in extended position, has a first portion protruding through a blade slot at the end of the housing, and with the shuttle plate assembly in retracted position, the blade is retracted within the cavity.