Rolls-Royce Takes Its All-Electric Plane Concept On Its Very First Test Flight
Image via Rolls-Royce
Roll-Royce’s prototype all-electric aircraft, aptly named ‘Spirit of Innovation’, has successfully taken off on its first-ever test flight. This could prove to be a major step towards 100% sustainable flights and even be the basis for “air taxis” in the future.
This project—known as Accelerating the Electrification of Flight (ACCELL)—is a collaboration between Rolls-Royce, YASA (a manufacturer of electric motors and controllers), and Electroflight (an aviation startup).
Image via Rolls-Royce
The plane’s propeller is powered by a 300 kW electric motor, which is fuelled by 6,000 battery cells. The company says it’s “the world’s most energy-dense flying battery pack,” and can power nearly 250 average homes. Plus, it comes with a custom cooling system to prevent any overheating while in mid-air.
Taking place at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down site, the plane managed to stay in the air for a full 15 minutes, a large leap from its previous feat of taxing under its own power.
Image via Rolls-Royce
According to SlashGear, Rolls-Royce has no intention of creating its own aircraft for sale, but instead will offer an electric propulsion system to aircraft makers, just like it has with its current jet engines.
In a related project, Rolls-Royce is also working with Tecnam and Scandinavian airline Widerøe to create an all-electric passenger aircraft. These planes are expected to be ready by 2026, and similar technology could be used for future electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), or “air taxis.”
Image via Rolls-Royce
Check out the ‘Spirit of Innovation’ on its maiden flight below.
[via SlashGear, images via Rolls-Royce]
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