Rolls-Royce latest move in the electric flight race

“The Spirit of Innovation” electric airplane. Picture: Rolls-Royce

The aptly named “Spirit of Innovation” has taxied for the first time powered by its electric batteries only and ahead of its planned first flight this Spring.

So why a small plane taxiing matters? Because behind the Spirit of Innovation stands no less than Rolls-Royce, one of the few companies currently powering the world’s airliner fleet. Whatever one of those giants does in the field of propulsion technology is well worth of attention.

This plane is fitted with a 400Kw all-electric power plant designed to break the speed record for an all-electric aircraft, at 300 mph. But the ultimate goal is not speed itself, but the fact that this project is pushing the technological envelope for electric batteries and powertrains that will relatively soon find their way into the new urban mobility concepts that are currently under development.

This is also another UK-based electric flight programme under the umbrella of the ACCEL programme (“Accelerating the Electrification of Flight”). Britain is fast becoming one of the global centres for green flight research.

Oh, and there is a video too!