Latest News | 13 October 2020
Flight electrification feat
Bondholder Rolls-Royce has completed testing of ground-breaking technology that will power the world’s fastest all-electric plane.
The plane is part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called ACCEL, short for ‘Accelerating the Electrification of Flight’. The team has been developing the technology while adhering to the UK Government’s social distancing and other health guidelines and the systems will soon be integrated into Rolls-Royce's ‘Spirit of Innovation’ plane.
All the technology has been tested on a full-scale replica of the plane’s core, called an ‘ionBird’, including a 500hp electric powertrain powerful enough to set world speed records and a battery with enough energy to supply 250 homes.
Rob Watson, Director – Rolls-Royce Electrical, said: “Rolls-Royce is committed to playing a leading role in reaching net zero carbon by 2050. The completion of ground-testing for the ACCEL project is a great achievement for the team and is another important step towards a world record attempt. This project is also helping to develop Rolls-Royce’s capabilities and ensure that we remain a leader in delivering the electrification of flight, an important part of our sustainability strategy.”
The first flight is planned for later this year and Rolls-Royce is aiming to beat the current all-electric flight world record early next year. Half of the project’s funding is provided by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK.
The ACCEL project is a series of firsts for Rolls-Royce as it journeys towards net zero carbon by 2050. It is the first Rolls-Royce project to use offsetting to make the whole programme carbon neutral.
Rolls-Royce is also looking to inspire young people, with the ACCEL project, to consider STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). It has developed downloadable materials aimed at primary school children around the project, which can be downloaded here.
Check out the Rolls-Royce ACCEL ground testing video by clicking here.
