that can make them difficult to fly.
Dozens of companies and
startups around the world are
pursuing battery-electric and hybrid
prototypes. But current batteries
are too heavy and too expensive.
Energy density — the amount of
energy stored in a given system — is
the key metric, and today’s batteries
don’t contain enough energy to get
most planes off the ground. For
comparison: jet fuel gives about 43
times more energy than a battery
that’s just as heavy.
“Power to weight ratio is critical
in aviation,” explains Ganzarski. “It
has to have enough power to lift the
aircraft while not doing so with added
weight compared to regular internal
combustion engines.”
This had to be achieved with the
reliability and redundancy expected
from aerospace grade propulsion
systems. For example, the magni500
has four separately controlled and
monitored 3-phase sections. “If
there is a fault or failure during
flight, we can detect in which section
it is occurring, shut it down, and
maintain 75% power and so provide
the pilot with ‘graceful degradation’;
vs an all-or-nothing that the internal
combustion engine provides,” says
Ganzarski.
Maintaining a steady temperature
for steady performance is also
crucial. A proprietary liquid cooling
system is used to achieve this.
The biggest challenge when
designing the magni500 was that all
of the above had to be achieved with
a motor that could develop full torque
and power turning at only 1900rpm.
“Traditional engines turn at
very high speeds to create their
power (10,000-20,000rpm),”
Ganzarski explains. “Typically,
a heavy, maintenance prone
reduction gearbox would have to be
installed. With our motor turning at
1900rpm, we are able to connect to
the propeller directly without any
gearbox, meaning much less weight.”
The Beaver is claimed to be able to
fly up to 100 miles before having to be
recharged so, like early electric cars,
it precludes people who need to go
longer distances.
“The range now is not where we’d
love it to be, but it’s enough to start
the revolution,” says Ganzarski, who
predicts batteries and electric motors
will eventually be developed to
power longer flights.
While the world waits, he said
cheaper short-haul flights powered
by electricity could transform the way
people connect and where they work:
“If people are willing to drive an hour
to work, why not fly 15 minutes to
work?”
On top of fuel efficiency, the
company would save millions in
maintenance costs because electric
motors require “drastically” less
upkeep, McDougall says.
However, Harbour Air will have to
wait at least two years before it can
begin electrifying its fleet of more
than 40 seaplanes.
The e-plane has to be tested
further to confirm it is reliable and
safe. In addition, the Magni500
electric powertrain must be approved
and certified by regulators.
Advances in electric air flight
are expected to eventually solve
range limitations. For example, a
non-commercial electric plane, Solar
Impulse 2, completed a round-theworld
trip between 2015 and 2016. !
Top: Greg McDougall,
CEO of Harbour Air
Seaplanes (left) with
Roei Ganzarski, CEO of
magniX
FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK 35
/WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK