Comprised of 6,000 cells and an advanced cooling system that can withstand the extreme temperatures and high-current demands during flight, the battery has undergone intensive testing to ensure it’s able to not only push at the boundaries of what is possible, but do so in a way that is also safe and airworthy. That’s where the ‘ionBird’ test-rig came into play, taking its name from the Li-ion technology that the battery is based on. Similar rigs have long been used in aviation for testing propulsion systems ahead of flight, and the ionBird represents an evolution in the system that will likely prove invaluable as we develop further clean energy solutions. The ionBird enabled the team, amidst the challenging and changing restrictions of the COVID-19 landscape, to increase and accelerate the level of testing on the battery. This ensured the battery was able to reach maximum possible performance before it was even integrated onto the plane.
In perfecting the battery for the Spirit of Innovation’s world record attempt, the possibility for wider applications begin to emerge. We have particular high hopes for the impact such batteries will have on a new generation of ‘Urban Air Mobility’ concepts. It’s an exciting new market that will rely on clean, quiet and energy efficient power, and perfectly ties in with our mission to reach net zero by 2050. So while today the aim for our ACCEL battery is to power a 300mph+ flight, tomorrow that same or similar technology might power an all-electric air taxi, capable of carrying four passengers through the busy city skyscapes of the future…