First Flight of All-Electric Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Plane

MagniX has conducted the first flight test of the 750-horsepower magni500 all-electric propulsion system on a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan plane in Moses Lake, Washington on May 28.

"Following in the footsteps of the world’s first flight of the all-electric commercial aircraft – the eBeaver with Harbour Air – the eCaravan will showcase one of the world’s most-used Middle-Mile aircraft going all electric," the company said in a release.

MagniX, together with Seattle-based AeroTEC worked to covert the aircraft, having 52-foot wingspan and weighing 4,700 pounds, "from its gas guzzling, emission creating, old self, to an all-electric, low operating cost, clean aircraft."

During the 30-minute-long test flight, the hum of the modified eCaravan’s motor was drowned out by the relative roar of the chase plane’s engine. “The small Cessna is making about double the noise,” MagniX CEO Roei Ganzarski said during his webcast commentary.

The aircraft reached an altitude of 2,500 feet.