Summary Harbour Air aims for the 1st fully electric commercial flight by 2026 with engines manufactured by magniX. The fleet includes a DHC-3 de Havilland Turbine Otter, Twin Otter & Beaver, among others. A study suggests increasing battery lifespan is key to making electric aircraft like the one operated by Harbour Air greener than fossil-based ones.
Only a couple of years ago, Harbour Air completed its first all-electric point-to-point test flight . For this flight, a De Havilland Beaver was retrofitted with an electric engine. For this flight, this chartered airline partnered with Washington-based magniX, an electric motor manufacturer for electric aircraft.
Harbour Air made history on December 10, 2019, as "the world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft" took to the skies in Richmond, BC. But when, how, and why is this North American seaplane operator transitioning into an all-electric fleet? Let's find out. 2026 might just be Harbour Air's year Harbour Air has set its sights on operating the first commercial flight at the end of 2026.
The engine used in the DHC-2 eBeaver is the Magni500 EPU, which was developed by magniX. A few months ago, Harbour Air(YB) expressed its desire to magniX to purchase 50 units of the upgraded Magni650 version. magniX is working with Eviation to deliver triple MagniX Magni250s for Eviation Alice .
However, MagniX is still awaiting certification from the following organizations. Federal Transport Association (FAA) Transport Canada Euro.