Electric propulsion system developer Wright Electric has launched a business unit to produce megawatt-hour-size batteries that can deliver 1,000 watt-hours per kilogram in battery packs. The U.S. start-up, which is mainly focused on producing a two-megawatt electric motor for single-aisle airliners, claims that the new batteries would be four times more energy-dense than lithium-ion batteries currently powering electric vehicles.
Announcing the initiative, Wright said its batteries could be used for new electric aircraft carrying more than 100 passengers. The company, which was founded in 2016, has been working with partners including NASA and UK-based low-cost airline EasyJet to develop electric propulsion options to decarbonize commercial aircraft, such as the Airbus A320 by 2030.
According to Wright, since 2021 it has been conducting experiments with technologies that have been overlooked by conventional battery manufacturers. In its view, some battery types that are unsuitable for applications such as consumer electronics and grid storage could be better applied for platforms, such as aircraft, for which having lightweight and compact hardware is especially important.
Wright aims to have the first of the new battery packs ready for laboratory testing in 2025, with the units being available for early aerospace and defense applications in 2027.
Second Chance for Overlooked Battery Chemistries
“We have developed experience building lightweight, thermally managed electric propulsion systems, and we see a way to apply that knowledge to the design of large molten battery packs,” said Colin Tschida, Wright’s head of powertrain. “To cultivate a breakthrough in energy storage, we engaged four chemistry PhDs to act as scouts for promising but overlooked battery chemistries. This month, we are beginning our second phase of validation experiments with the approaches that showed the most promise.”
In June, Wright Electric reported that it had achieved a one-megawatt power output with the electric motor generator it is developing for future airliners. During that month’s Paris Air Show, the company signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to conduct altitude testing of its powertrain at the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed starting in early 2024.
The testing will evaluate how the motors perform in high-altitude operations as thinner air can cause short-circuiting and electromagnetic interference. Wright says its propulsion system will be able to operate at 40,000 feet, which can be replicated in NASA’s altitude chamber.
In 2021, Wright said it planned to convert 1990s-vintage BAe 146 regional airliners to electric propulsion. At the time, the company said it expected to be ready to start flying a technology demonstrator in 2023.
