Rolls-Royce's all-electric airplane smashes record with 387.4 MPH top speed

The same way as any other battery, just increase the number of cells. Most cells seem to run between 1.5-2 volts. A 12 volt car battery is usually six cells of 2 volts each.

foxyv2• 5 years ago

For the motor: A lot more insulation on the coil windings mostly. Higher voltage usually means less copper needed and more insulation. Boosting voltage from batteries is pretty easy. Either using a transformer on the motor controller or putting enough cells in series to get the voltage you want. There are also methods using inductors and PWM to get a boosted voltage.

750 volts is actually fairly low. Siemens makes some 3-6 kilovolt HV motors. https://hv-easy.azurewebsites.net/

gorgoiler• 5 years ago

Both the style and purpose of Spirit of Innovation remind me of the Mew Gull, a pre war King’s Races winner with the side goal of beating the Luftwaffe to having the fastest aircraft:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival_Mew_Gull

jscholes• 5 years ago

Is it quieter? Serious question.

perilunar• 5 years ago

Probably. Engine noise would be much lower, but prop noise would be the same.

foxyv2• 5 years ago

Most noise from prop planes comes from the propeller. You can make some pretty quiet prop planes though. Especially if you use lots of smaller propellers. However for a race plane you can bet this thing is loud as heck.

simonblack2• 5 years ago

What's the all-important figure: Maximum flight distance?

In practice though, it's maximum minutes as many planes will be taxiing then need to sit on the tarmac for quite a while waiting for take-off, and taxiing and loitering after landing till it can reach the terminal.

Rolls-Royce's all-electric airplane smashes record with 387.4 MPH top speed

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