On November 19, Rolls-Royce announced that its electric aircraft, the “Spirit of Innovation,” achieved a maximum speed of 623 km/h, reinforcing its status as the fastest electric vehicle in the world.
The electric aircraft Spirit of Innovation reaches a maximum speed of 623 km/h. Photo: Rolls-Royce
According to Rolls-Royce, the Spirit of Innovation has set three new world records for electric aircraft: the fastest maximum speed, the quickest climb to 3,000 meters (202 seconds), and the highest speed over a distance of 15 kilometers (292.8 km/h).
Rolls-Royce has submitted data from the record-setting flights to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the organization responsible for certifying aviation records worldwide. “We hope that FAI will grant approval and officially recognize our team’s achievements in the near future,” said Rolls-Royce.
With a maximum speed of 623 km/h, the Spirit of Innovation is now the fastest electric vehicle globally. This aircraft is part of the ACCEL project (Accelerating Electrification of Flight), funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the UK’s Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.
The aviation industry is transitioning to various methods to reduce carbon emissions, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. Electric aircraft are currently limited by battery technology, which does not provide sufficient power for long flights. For example, NASA’s experimental electric aircraft, the Maxwell X-57, can only fly for 40 minutes.
However, Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Innovation represents a significant step forward. The aircraft utilizes a 400 kW electric propulsion system and the highest energy density battery ever assembled in the aviation sector.
