The future of electric aircraft took a big leap forward last week when Vancouver seaplane operator, Harbour Air, test-flew a modified de Havilland Beaver with a 750-horsepower electric engine. The airline plans to convert all its planes once it gets approvals.
Harbour Air is the largest seaplane-only operator in North America, and now claims honors for flying the world's first all-electric commercial aircraft. The engine, rated at 560kW, comes from MagniX, a company pioneering electric propulsion. It recently made a splash at the Paris Air Show with its high-power-density systems.
The next step for the two companies is the certification and approval process before the modified planes can carry passengers. Once that's complete, Harbour plans to convert all 40 of its planes, which fly 300 flights a day, including scheduled air service, tours and charters.
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