Electric Planes: The Future of Aviation

Flying is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to travel, especially for long-distance trips. However, conventional airplane flights are energy-intensive and depend on fossil fuels for power. Because aircraft emissions are released high in the atmosphere, they have a potent impact on Earth’s climate, triggering chemical reactions and atmospheric effects that add greatly to planetary warming. Currently, approximately 170 electric aircraft projects are underway around the globe – up by 50% since April 2018. Many of these efforts involve futuristic designs for urban air taxis, private planes or package-delivery aircraft. But major firms have also announced plans to electrify their commercial aircraft. Inspired by Elon Musk and the Tesla electric car, Harbour Air, the largest seaplane airline in North America has built and tested the first electric seaplane. In an effort to reduce emissions from its aircraft, Harbour partnered with magniX, a research and development firm with operations in the US and Australia, to develop the first fully electric commercial aircraft...