Electric plane targets the world’s first commercial operation

Canadian company Harbor Air developed the eBeaver, an electric plane that converted the CHR-2 Beaver engine into a motor, designed in 1946 and succeeded in a 10-minute test flight on the Fraser River in Richmond, Canada. did.

In April, Harbor Air announced plans to develop the world’s first commercially available electric airplane in partnership with electric motor manufacturer Magnix. Motor-powered airplanes are already being developed, test flights, or even sold. However, it is not on a commercial flight with passengers.

It was Harbor Air CEO Greg McDougall who took the control stick in the test flight. Harbor Air has 14 6-seater DHC-2 beavers. It is explained that replacing the PT-6A turboprop engine with a Magni-X motor consumes as much as $300 per hour of fuel, to an electricity rate of $10-20 per 100 miles. However, the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is less than 5% of aviation fuel, which limits the range of electric aircraft.

However, if a seaplane is commercially operated around Vancouver, for example, 100 miles is sufficient. It is 58 miles straight from Vancouver to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. However, since it is at the end of the peninsula, it takes a few hours to travel by making a big round or by ferry. Electric airplanes can be a good option, such as reducing labor time and reducing costs. Related information can be found here .