The most advanced planes of today include the F-35 and F-22 of the United States military. But this certain airplane isn’t just any ordinary aircraft. After all, Rolls-Royce’s “Spirit of Innovation” is an attempt to de-carbonize air travel with its all-electric powertrain. It is real milestone, as this all-electric airplane recently had its first flight.

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First Flight For Rolls-Royce’s Spirit Of Innovation

Spirit of Innovation takeoff
Via Rolls-Royce

The ‘Spirit of Innovation’ aircraft took off from the Boscombe Down site of the UK Ministry of Defence and managed to stay on air for around 15 minutes. While the first flight was short, it was considered a new milestone and signals the start of an intense flight-testing phase wherein Rolls-Royce would collect valuable performance data on its electrical power and propulsion system.

This new aircraft is part of Rolls-Royce initiative dubbed ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight). A key part of Rolls-Royce’s strategy to champion electrification, the ACCEL project involves partners like YASA and Electroflight. The project is partly funded (half) by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK.

Innovative Electric Powertrain For Speed Record

Spirit of Innovation powertrain
Via Rolls-Royce

Propelling the Spirit of Innovation on this monumental first flight is a powerful 400kW (500+hp) electric powertrain that includes three high power density axial electric motors. Its propeller blades are designed to spin at a far lower RPM – compared to conventional planes) for a more stable and quieter ride.

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The three electric motors get their juice from the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft. This battery pack features 6,000 battery cells, as packaged to minimize weight while maximizing thermal protection. The cells are directly cooled by an advanced cooling system. The battery pack is enough to allow the Spirit of Innovation fly 200 miles on a single charge.

With this electric powertrain serving as the aero engine, Rolls-Royce and the ACCEL team expects the ‘Spirit of Innovation’ to fly at speeds of more than 200 mph (more than 480 km/h) for a new world record.

Onto Net Zero Carbon By 2050

Spirit of Innovation ground
Via Rolls-Royce

Nevertheless, the Spirit of Innovation is more than just a world-record attempt; it marks the start of journey to the de-carbonization of air travel. Rolls-Royce is practically aiming to help the sectors in which it operates achieve net zero carbon by 2050.

Furthermore, the advanced battery and propulsion technology developed for the ACCEL program could be applied for the Urban Air Mobility. In fact, Rolls-Royce is planning to a portfolio of motors, power electronics as well as batteries into the general aerospace, urban air mobility and small commuter aircraft sectors.

Source: Rolls-Royce