Rolls Royce to break speed records with its fastest all-electric airplane

Automobile firm Rolls Royce is aiming high by working on what it claims will be the world’s fastest all-electric airplane, pioneering a ‘third wave of aviation’.

The British luxury automobile maker Rolls Royce announced about its currently in-work all-electric airplane that will fly in 2020 and will be the world’s fastest one. The electric plane is a part of UK government-funded initiative known as ‘Accelerating the Electrification of Flight’ (ACCEL).

The plane will shatter the current record of 210mph set by Siemens of an all-electric airplane by reaching a top speed of at least 300mph. It will pack three high-power-density lightweight electric motors in it that are designed to produce over 500 horsepower. Also, the plane’s all-electric powertrain will reportedly deliver 90% energy efficiency and zero emissions.

Rolls-Royce, Intel partner up for self-sailing ships

The battery pack powering the craft will incorporate 6,000 cells, which, as per Rolls Royce, will make it the most energy-dense pack ever created for an aircraft. When up and running, the powertrain will run at 750V and the aircraft will boast a maximum power of 750kW, enough to power 250 homes. Also, this feature could power a nonstop flight from London to Paris.

ACCEL project manager for Rolls Royce, Matheu Parr said, “This plane will be powered by a state-of-the-art electrical system and the most powerful battery ever built for flight. In the year ahead, we’re going to demonstrate its abilities in demanding test environments before going for gold in 2020 from a landing strip on the Welsh coastline.”

Moreover, apart from setting records, the firm also claims that it will be apple what it learns from the project to create other all-electric aircraft, which could play a significant role to fight climate change, reported Futurism.

“We’ve already drawn a series of insights from the unique design and integration challenges,” Parr said. “And we’re gaining the knowhow to not only pioneer the field of electric-powered, zero-emissions aviation – but to lead it. At this point, our confidence is sky high.”