Spirit of Innovation, Rolls-Royce’s all-electric plane, has reportedly taken its first flight on Wednesday for 15 minutes. This take-off is a step further towards establishing a record for the fastest electric aircraft in the world.
The plane took off from the Boscombe Down military testing site of the UK Ministry of Defence. It used a battery pack which was the most power-dense one ever assembled for an airplane. The plane is operated by a 500 HP electric powertrain. The test flight comes as a part of the aviation industry’s efforts towards zero carbon emission.
Warren East, Rolls-Royce’s Chief Executive, quoted that the first Spirit of Innovation flight is a tremendous achievement for the company and the Accel team. He added that the company is focused on developing groundbreaking technologies that are required to decarbonize transportation across the land, sea as well as air and seize the economic opportunity of the journey towards net-zero emissions.
The novel propulsion and battery tech developed for the program has immense applications for the urban air transport market and can aid in making ‘jet zero’ a reality, said East.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the British Business Secretary, commented that the first Spirit of Innovation flight indicates a big step forward in the worldwide transition to cleaner flights. The records and the achievements of the company showcase that the U.K. is on track to spearheading innovation in aerospace.
Kwarteng added that by supporting projects like these, the government is aiding in driving the boundary further and pushing technologies that will utilize the investment and tap the greener, cleaner aircraft needed to end its contribution towards climate change.
Rolls-Royce is providing its consumers a comprehensive electric propulsion system for their aircraft, whether it’s a commuter plane or an electric vertical takeoff and landing craft.
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