09 Dec 2021 • 2 min read

Rolls-Royce’s All-Electric Airplane Sets Three New Speed Records

Advances in electric motors and battery technology have triggered an explosion in the field of electric airplanes. Battery-powered electric aircraft could be the future of aviation.

A raft of companies are making green aircraft. EasyJet with Wright Electric, Boeing with Zunum, and Airbus with Siemens are all in the race to create electric aircraft to go green.

Now, the aero-engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has developed an electric plane named “Spirit of Innovation”.

The battery-powered aircraft sets three new world records!

Powered by 400kW (535 HP), 750-volt motor, Spirit of Innovation successfully smashed the speed record for an all-electric plane. The aircraft reached a maximum speed of 623 km/h (387.4 mph) during its test flight that lasted for 11 minutes. The aircraft took to the skies at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down experimental aircraft testing site last week.

The Spirit of Innovation achieved 330mph over 9.3 miles (15km), 182mph faster than the previous record. It also smashed the fastest climb record by climbing 3,000 meters in 202 seconds and achieved the top speed of 345.4 MPH over a 3 km (1.86 miles) course.

The flight data has been submitted to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) for certifications and official confirmation of three new speed records.

Construction

China Moves Closer to Opening Deep Geological Nuclear Waste Lab Nearly 1,837 Feet Below Surface

A Critical Step for Long-Term Nuclear Safety China is nearing a major milestone in its nuclear energy program as engineers push forward with a deep geological research laboratory designed to study the safe disposal of radioactive waste. Known as the Beishan Underground Research Laboratory, the facility is taking shape in the remote Gobi Desert in Gansu province. As a result, when completed, it

Aerospace

A Guide to Purchasing Inconel: Tips and Considerations

Inconel® is a family of nickel-chromium superalloys known for high strength, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance at elevated temperatures. Well-suited to demanding applications, Inconel alloys typically comprise 50–70% nickel, 15–25% chromium, and other elements such as iron, cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten. The specific composition of an Inconel alloy depends on its intended applicati

Industry News

Hyundai Steel Plans Hydrogen-Ready Low-Carbon Mill in Louisiana

Hyundai Steel plans to build a hydrogen-ready low-carbon steel mill in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The project carries an estimated cost of $6 billion and marks the company’s first U.S. steelmaking facility. State officials say the mill will support automotive, energy, and industrial markets that need cleaner flat-rolled and long-product supply. The plant forms part of Hyundai’s broader push t

Aerospace

3D-Printed Metal Matrix Composite Could Boost High-Temperature Aerospace Components

A research team at the University of Toronto has created a metal matrix composite that stays light, strong, and stable at temperatures where most aluminum alloys fail. The material is produced through a combination of laser-based additive manufacturing and micro-casting, giving it a reinforced-concrete-like architecture on a microscopic scale. That structure delivers strength at both ambient and e

Rolls-Royce’s All-Electric Airplane Sets Three New Speed Records

Related Articles

China Moves Closer to Opening Deep Geological Nuclear Waste Lab Nearly 1,837 Feet Below Surface

A Guide to Purchasing Inconel: Tips and Considerations

Hyundai Steel Plans Hydrogen-Ready Low-Carbon Mill in Louisiana

3D-Printed Metal Matrix Composite Could Boost High-Temperature Aerospace Components

Popular Products

Custom Tubing

Stainless Steel A286

Tool Steel H11

Nickel Inconel 601