Wright Electric Tests 2MW Electric Engines for Passenger Planes

The Push for Electric Flight in Aerospace

Similar to developments in the automotive sector, the aerospace industry is increasingly focused on electric propulsion. However, achieving flight with battery-powered engines presents a more significant challenge than simply electrifying vehicles on the ground.

Challenges of Electric Aviation

While electric cars have seen widespread adoption, they benefit from not needing to generate lift to overcome gravity. A key obstacle for electric aircraft lies in the weight of the batteries required to sustain flight over meaningful distances with passengers, often rendering the aircraft too heavy to become airborne.

Overcoming this hurdle necessitates a focus on improving efficiency – maximizing thrust produced per unit of power. Given the slow pace of battery weight reduction, innovation in areas like materials, airframe design, and crucially, the engine itself, is paramount. Traditional jet engines are notably large, heavy, and complex internal combustion systems.

The Advantages of Electric Engines

Electric engines generally offer advantages in terms of weight, simplicity, and reliability compared to their fuel-powered counterparts. However, a certain level of efficiency must be attained to enable flight. Just as an inefficient jet engine consuming excessive fuel would be impractical, electric engines must deliver sufficient thrust from a given energy storage capacity.

Companies such as Wright and H3x are actively developing electric engines to meet this demand, aiming to produce more thrust from the same amount of stored energy.

Wright Electric's Approach

Although H3x is concentrating on smaller aircraft with potentially quicker deployment, Wright founder Jeff Engler emphasizes the importance of targeting commercial passenger jets to significantly reduce aerospace’s carbon footprint. Wright is actively planning to develop such an aircraft.

Engler clarifies that their work doesn’t involve a complete reinvention of aircraft components. “We’re not reinventing the concept of the wing, or the fuselage, or anything like that. What changes is what propels the aircraft forward.” This mirrors the transition in the automotive industry, where electrification primarily affects the propulsion system rather than the vehicle’s overall structure.

The 2-Megawatt Engine

Wright’s engine is a 2-megawatt motor, equivalent to 2,700 horsepower, boasting an efficiency of approximately 10 kilowatts per kilogram. Engler states, “It’s the most powerful motor designed for the electric aerospace industry by a factor of 2, and it’s substantially lighter than anything out there.”

This reduced weight is achieved through a ground-up redesign utilizing a permanent magnet approach and “an aggressive thermal strategy.” Employing a higher voltage, coupled with a corresponding insulation system, allows the engine to reach the necessary power and efficiency levels for large-scale flight.

Image Credits: Wright

Retrofitting and Future Plans

Wright is designing its engines to be compatible with retrofitted aircraft, while simultaneously collaborating with established airframe manufacturers on a new aircraft design. This initial aircraft will be a hybrid-electric model, combining the efficient propulsion system with the range provided by a liquid fuel engine.

While hydrogen fuel presents complexities, it offers a faster pathway to electric flight and substantial reductions in emissions and fuel consumption.

Benefits of a Multi-Engine Design

The proposed aircraft will incorporate multiple Wright motors on each wing, offering several advantages. Firstly, it provides redundancy – a critical safety feature, as planes with multiple engines can often continue flying even if one fails. Having six or eight engines reduces the impact of a single engine failure. Secondly, the use of multiple engines allows for improved stability and noise reduction through individual or coordinated adjustments to minimize vibration and counteract turbulence.

Testing and Long-Term Vision

Currently, the motor is undergoing lab testing at sea level. Following successful completion of these tests, planned for next year, it will be subjected to altitude simulation and ultimately tested at 40,000 feet. Engler acknowledges this is a long-term undertaking, recognizing that an entire industry cannot transform overnight.

He highlights the significant enthusiasm and support the company has received from NASA and the military, both of which have provided substantial funding, materials, and expertise.

Addressing Concerns and Future Impact

Addressing concerns about potential military applications, Engler acknowledged the possibility but emphasized that his focus, and the company’s aim, aligns with the defense department’s efforts to reduce emissions and fuel costs associated with cargo and personnel transport. The military is a significant contributor to pollution and is actively seeking solutions.

“Think of how things changed when we went from propellers to jets,” Engler concludes. “It redefined how an airplane operates. This new propulsion tech allows for reshaping the entire industry.”