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All-Electric, Zero-Emission Aircrafts Set for Take Off

March 27, 2019 at 4:55 p.m. ET
By
Fang Block


Harbour Air and magniX have partnered to introduce first all-electric aircraft. Courtesy of Harbour Air


Electrical aviation is poised to take off: Canadian airline Harbour Air is planning flight tests of an all-electric aircraft later this year.
Harbour Air, which operates 12 routes between hubs like Seattle and Vancouver, and offers scenic tours and adventures across the natural wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, has partnered with Richmond, Washington-based magniX, the two companies announced Tuesday.
Harbour Air became the first fully carbon-neutral airline in North America in 2007, through the purchase of carbon offsets, according to Greg McDougall, founder and CEO of Harbour Air Seaplanes. “We are once again pushing the boundaries of aviation by becoming the first aircraft to be powered by electric propulsion,” he said in a statement.
Under the partnership, Harbour Air, which has a fleet of 40 seaplanes, will first use magniX’s magni500, a 750 horsepower all-electric motor, to power its six-passenger aircraft De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. The propulsion system will have a range of about 100 miles.


magniX's electric motor Courtesy of magniX
First flight tests of the all-electric aircraft will be conducted in late 2019, and the first passenger flights are expected in late 2021, the companies said.
The all-electric aircraft will have zero reliance on fossil fuels and produce zero emissions, which will make air travel cleaner, more efficient, and cheaper.
The aviation industry currently contributes 12% of all carbon emissions in the U.S. and 4.9% globally.
Currently, there are several major electric aircraft programs in development across the globe, including Israel-based Eviation Alice; Zunum Aero, a start-up backed by Boeing Co. and JetBlue Airways Corp.; and NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed, a U.S. government program that tackles obstacles of electric flight.