Electric aircraft are getting larger and larger, a positive sign for an industry historically reliant upon petroleum-based fuels. On Thursday, a Cessna Grand Caravan powered solely by electricity departed from Moses Lake, Washington, and successfully cruised around in the skies without using jet fuel before landing safely.
It was the latest milestone for MagniX, a company determined to reshape aviation by powering aircraft electrically rather than with fuel. And while the Grand Caravan is the largest electric aircraft MagniX has ever flown successfully, it wasn't the first as MagniX debuted a smaller electric plane in 2019 borrowed from Canada's Harbour Air.
The electric seaplane is working towards certification to soon ferry passengers around British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, making it one of the few passenger planes not dependent on aviation fuel for power.
The engine powering both the seaplane and Grand Caravan, however, is the same, with the Magni500 offering the propeller aircraft 750 horsepower. It's one of two engines being produced by MagniX, and the more powerful one compared to the Magni250 offering 375 horsepower.
While modifying existing aircraft to electrically-powered machines rather than gas guzzlers, MagniX is also working with new manufacturers to develop the planes of the future powered by its engines.
Take a closer look at the world's largest electric plane and the company behind it.