harbour air, north america’s largest seaplane airline, and magniX, the company powering the electric aviation revolution, have successfully completed the flight of the world’s first all-electric commercial airplane. the flight, which took place on the fraser river at harbor air seaplanes terminal in richmond, canada, covered 16 kilometers in 4 minutes, marking the start of the third era in aviation — the electric age.

world’s first all-electric commercial airplane takes flight
image courtesy of harbour air

 

 

earlier this year, harbour air announced its partnership with magniX and the company’s intention to build the world’s first completely electric commercial seaplane fleet. the successful flight of the ePlane was completed by a six-passenger DHC-2 de havilland beaver magnified by a 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni500 propulsion system. the magni500, which was unveiled at the paris air show in june, 2019, is a high-power-density electric propulsion system that provides a clean and efficient way to power airplanes.

world’s first all-electric commercial airplane takes flight
screenshot from video

 

 

‘in december 1903, the wright brothers launched a new era of transportation—the aviation age—with the first flight of a powered aircraft. today, 116 years later, with the first flight of an all-electric powered commercial aircraft, we launched the electric era of aviation,’ said roei ganzarski, CEO of magniX. ‘the transportation industry and specifically the aviation segment that has been, for the most part, stagnant since the late 1930s, is ripe for a massive disruption. now we are proving that low-cost, environmentally friendly, commercial electric air travel can be a reality in the very near future.’

world’s first all-electric commercial airplane takes flight
screenshot from video

 

 

magniX and harbour air will now begin the certification and approval process for the propulsion system and the retrofitting of aircraft. once the certification is complete, the rest of the fleet can be magnified with magniX’s all-electric propulsion technology.

 

 

project info:

 

name: first all-electric commercial airplane

company: magniX and harbour air

date completed: 10 december, 2019