Right now, electric flight is a niche corner of the aviation world. But given the way that the world is going, there are significant changes in the pipeline. The Seatle based Magnix has already modifies Harbour air’s float equiped DHC-2 and a Cessna C208 Caravan, with further types under active consideration.
Magnix have signed agreements with a number of companys and have put forward a proposal to electrify a Dash-8, reducing the passenger compliment from 50 down to 40 – with the 10 passenger seats replaced by a H2 fuel cell.
So right now with the flight times being in the tens of minutes region, it is not a practical option – but with Hydrogen fuel cell technology likely to increase that by orders of magnitude it will be practical.
Although I personally don’t see an electric aircraft with performance approaching that of say a Boeing 777 any time soon, smaller aircraft like the ATR’s and the Dashes will be in the frame in the next five to ten years in my opinion.