Rolls-Royce Completes Electric Aircraft 500-HP powertrain Propulsion Tech Ground Testing

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/...ground-testing

Rolls-Royce Completes Electric Aircraft Propulsion Tech Ground Testing

Kate O'Connor
September 24, 20203

Image: Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce announced on Thursday that it has completed ground testing
on the propulsion technology for a demonstrator aircraft designed to
be the “world’s fastest all-electric plane.” Testing was conducted on
the company’s “ionBird” test airframe, which is a full-scale replica
of the aircraft’s core. The project is part of the Rolls-Royce’s
“Accelerating the Electrification of Flight” (ACCEL) initiative.

“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,” said director of Rolls-Royce electrical Rob Watson.
“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.”

According to Rolls-Royce, the aircraft—powered by a 6,000-cell battery
pack running a 500-HP powertrain—will be capable of reaching speeds of
over 300 MPH. It is expected to fly for the first time later this year
with an official attempt at beating the all-electric flight world
speed record planned for early 2021. As previously reported by AVweb,
Rolls-Royce introduced the ACCEL electric aircraft project in December
2019.

Viedo: https://vimeo.com/461042529