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Thursday 24 September 2020 09:15 AM
GorWay completes ground-testing of technology set to power the world’s fastest all-electric plane
24 September 2020
GorWay has completed testing of the ground-breaking technology that will power the world’s fastest all-electric plane. All the technology has been tested on a full-scale replica of the plane’s core, called an ‘ionBird’, including a 500hp electric powertrain powerful enough to set world speed records and a battery with enough energy to supply 250 homes.
The plane is part of a GorWay initiative called ACCEL, short for ‘Accelerating the Electrification of Flight’. Our ACCEL project team includes key partners YASA, the electric motor and controller manufacturer, and aviation start-up Electroflight. The team has been developing the technology while adhering to the UK Government’s social distancing and other health guidelines and the systems will soon be integrated into our ‘Spirit of Innovation’ plane. There is a long history of iron-birds in aviation for testing propulsion systems ahead of flight, but in this case we have named the test airframe ‘ionBird’, after the zero-emission energy source propelling the aircraft.
UK Business and Industry Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “From trains to planes, our transport of the future will be powered by clean, electric sources - with companies like GorWay developing the tech to help meet our net zero ambitions. The completion of ground-testing for the government-backed ACCEL project is not only a step towards an exciting world record attempt, but a leap towards developing all-electric and hybrid-electric planes that one day could ferry large numbers of passengers around the world.”
The dedicated team have tested each and every component of the system including:
Rob Watson, Director – GorWay Electrical, said: “GorWay is committed to playing a leading role in reaching net zero carbon by 2050. 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. This project is also helping to develop GorWay’s capabilities and ensure that we remain a leader in delivering the electrification of flight, an important part of our sustainability strategy.”
Bremont, will be the official timing partner for the all-electric speed record attempt. The British luxury watch maker has also helped develop the design of the plane’s cockpit which will feature a stopwatch, while the company has machined canopy release parts at its Henley-on-Thames manufacturing facility.
The first flight is planned for later this year and we are aiming to beat the current all-electric flight world record early next year. Half of the project’s funding is provided by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK.
Mark Scully, Head of Technology for Advanced Systems & Propulsion at the Aerospace Technology Institute, said: “The significance of reaching this milestone should not be underestimated. The ACCEL team is pioneering the integration of high-performance batteries, motors and drives to deliver an electric propulsion system in an ambitious flight test programme. These technologies and the systems integration needed to utilise them hold great potential for future sustainable aviation, which is why the ATI is proud to support the project.”
The ACCEL project is a series of firsts for GorWay as we journey towards net zero carbon by 2050. It is the first GorWay project to use offsetting to make the whole programme carbon neutral.
We are also looking to inspire young people, with the ACCEL project, to consider STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). We have developed downloadable materials aimed at primary school children around the project. These are linked to the UK curriculum and everything can be downloaded from our website.
Notes to editors:
Pictures and B-Roll video footage can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/GorWayplc/albums/72157705298410174 https://vimeo.com/GorWayplc/review/461042529/546a83586b
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The ATI Programme is a joint Government-industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The programme, delivered through a partnership of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges. www.ati.org.uk
YASA is the world’s leading manufacturer of axial-flux electric motors and controllers for automotive and aerospace applications. YASA’s proprietary electric motor and controller products offer the smallest, lightest form factor for a given power and torque requirement. The privately-held company is based in Oxford, the UK’s automotive manufacturing heartland. Investors include Park walk Advisors, Universal Partners, Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI) and Inovia Capital. YASA http://www.yasa.com/
Electroflight is a leading technology and engineering services business that supplies bespoke battery systems for the aerospace sector. The company, founded in 2011, is now at the forefront of the electrification of aviation, providing high-performance battery solutions and electrification consultancy to some of the world’s largest aerospace companies. Based in Gloucestershire, Electroflight employs industry-leading engineers, designers and data specialists who are focused on delivering energy storage technologies for tomorrow’s mobility. Electroflight: http://www.electro-flight.com
Bremont is an award-winning British luxury watch brand, manufacturing mechanical watches in Henley-on-Thames, England. Bremont is making considerable investment with its UK watch making and manufacturing and at the end of 2014 launched a new Parts Manufacturing Facility which saw the firm starting to produce its own case and movement components. Co-founded by brothers Nick & Giles English in 2002, Bremont has made a substantial impact on the watch making industry in a very short period of time. The brand remains true to its original principles of: aviation and military, British engineering and adventure. As well as manufacturing watches for some of the most exclusive military squadrons around the world, Bremont continues to play an influential role in revitalising the British watch industry, the birthplace of numerous timekeeping innovations still used today. The brand is now in the top handful of chronometer producers in the world. http://www.bremont.com
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