Easyjet partner Wright Electric has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for a grant program that supports the development of innovative and ultra-efficient electric propulsion systems for use in commercial aircraft.
easyJet has been working with Wright Electric in its mission to support the development of an all-electric aircraft program as part of a shared ambition to de-carbonize aviation. Earlier this year Wright Electric unveiled concepts for a 186-seater electric plane engine development program, named Wright 1. Work continues on this single-aisle airliner designed for flights up to 800 miles, which would cover around 50% of easyJet’s current network.
The foundation of Wright’s ground-breaking Wright 1 aircraft is its innovative high-efficiency electric propulsion system. As part of the Department of Energy program (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E)), Wright will design propulsion systems that use cutting-edge innovations in integrated cooling, power electronics, and structural design. The unique innovations across the electric propulsion system will aid the development of aircraft flying entirely on electric power.
