These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
Air travel produces 2% of global carbon emissions annually, and we haven’t yet developed batteries powerful enough to replace jet engines. But MagniX has made progress by powering smaller aircraft with high-efficiency motors that convert battery power into propulsion. This year, the Magni650 Electric Propulsion Unit—an engine that allows for decarbonization and is lighter than a traditional engine—powered a test of Alice, the first designed-for-electric commuter plane by Eviation, that can carry nine passengers and two pilots. MagniX has even partnered with NASA on the 50-passenger De Havilland Canada Dash 7 as a hybrid, with two of four engines replaced by motors. Its first test flight is planned for 2025.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- 11 New Books to Read in Februar
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
