Manufacturing group at University of Warwick tests batteries for world-record breaking electric aircraft

A team at the University of Warwick has carried out battery testing for the world's fastest electric aircraft.

Using its state-of-the-art facilities, WMG at the university carried out the tests for The Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation plane.

The Spirit of Innovation took to the sky at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down experimental aircraft testing site for its record-breaking flight in which it reached a top speed of 555.9 km/h (345.4 mph) over 3 kilometres, beating the existing record by 213.04 km/h (132mph).

And the aircraft reached 532.1km/h (330 mph) over 15 kilometres – 292.8km/h (182mph) faster than the previous record.

To achieve this feat, Rolls-Royce worked with aviation energy storage specialist Electroflight to help develop the battery system for the plane.

The WMG team tested and validated the batteries used on the aircraft.

Chief engineer Mark Amor-Segan, of WMG, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to see Rolls-Royce’s ‘Spirit of Innovation’ be awarded two new world records and officially be titled the World’s fastest all-electric aircraft. It has been a tremendous journey to share with Electroflight, to help verify and validate the battery system end-to-end and help create the most power-dense propulsion battery ever for Aerospace.

“We have worked closely with Electroflight and Rolls-Royce throughout this process, cementing new collaborative relationships and helping achieve world-class pioneering technology.

"To see it progress from literally a single cell into a full-scale battery system and a world-record breaking flight, is tribute to the incredible dedication and capability of the whole team

"This project has played a very important part in our work in aerospace, and we’re excited to continue our research into electrification and the future of sustainable flight.”

Rolls-Royce's customer director Matheu Parr added: “The support we received from Warwick Manufacturing Group to develop the battery technology that would power the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft was critical for the team’s record-breaking triumphs.

"Rolls-Royce has a long-standing relationship with WMG to ensure we are the forefront of technology and we will build on this capability to deliver propulsion and power systems for the advanced air mobility market.”