World's Largest All-Electric Aircraft Flies for 30 Minutes

While solar planes are still janky contraptions, electric is moving right along – they took a major step forward with the first, 30-minute flight of the world's largest all-electric aircraft.

We’ve covered the emerging air taxi market – and each of those is electric – but while even the literal Rolls Royce of air taxis only seats 4-5 people, this plane is a relative giant. In late May, electric motor specialist magniX took flight with a converted Cessna 208B Grand Caravan that seats up to nine people.

According to its site, the company envisions a world where their “high-power-density electric motors power airplanes cleanly and more efficiently, in a way that benefits the environment and lowers costs for operators and consumers,” and their electric Cessna embodies that goal.

The Magni250 electric engine allows for a range of up to 100 miles, and while that might not sound impressive, it could kick off a fleet of environmentally friendly puddle jumpers (that supposedly cost 50% less than conventional aircraft).

Baby steps, to be sure, but its importance cannot be overstated – especially with fuel costs accounting for nearly a quarter of total commercial aviation expenditures.

“You just witnessed history,” said magniX’s CEO, Roei Ganzarski, over the Facebook and Twitter broadcast of the historic flight.

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