Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Innovation has broken three world records for electric planes, paving the way for the development of electric passenger planes. The electric aircraft completed its first roll tests in March 2021 and its first test flights in September, lasting around 15 minutes. The plane has now broken three world records for electric planes, including a speed of 555.9 km/h over a distance of three kilometers, a speed of 532.1 km/h over a distance of 15 kilometers, and an ascent to a height of 3,000 meters in 202 seconds. The Spirit of Innovation also set a new speed record for electric planes, reaching 622 km/h. The aircraft is powered by three electric motors from British-German manufacturer Yasa, delivering a combined output of 400 kW, and is equipped with a battery containing 6,000 cells.
The project was funded half by the Aerospace Technology Institute and the UK government, with the aim of developing new technologies for fully electric passenger planes. The European Union’s Flightpath 2050 program requires the aviation industry to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 60%, nitrogen oxide pollution by 90%, and noise pollution by 75% in the coming years. Rolls-Royce and European aviation company Airbus are both working on electric planes, with Airbus aiming to develop market-ready hydrogen-powered planes by 2035.
The development of electric planes is a significant step towards reducing the aviation industry’s environmental impact. The Spirit of Innovation’s world records demonstrate the potential of electric planes to match or even surpass the performance of traditional planes. With continued investment and development, electric planes could become a viable alternative to fossil fuel-powered planes, helping to reduce the aviation industry’s contribution to climate change.
