'A huge step forward': Rolls Royce all-electric airplane completes 15-minute maiden flight

Cecilia Keating
clock • 4 min read
Rolls Royce's 'Spirit of Innovation' aircraft, which took to the skies on 14 September | Credit: Rolls Royce
Image:

Rolls Royce's 'Spirit of Innovation' aircraft, which took to the skies on 14 September | Credit: Rolls Royce

Engineering giant's zero emission milestone comes as British Airways completes chartered London-Glasgow flight partly powered by sustainable aviation fuel

An electric aircraft currently being developed by Rolls Royce with a view to breaking speed records has successfully completed its maiden flight above Wiltshire, the engineering giant announced last week....

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Aviation

Government announces £7.3m funding boost for zero emission aviation firms

Government announces £7.3m funding boost for zero emission aviation firms

Series of innovative projects secure funding to support development of infrastructure to enable zero emission flights from UK airports

James Murray
clock 23 July 2026 • 2 min read
Loganair inks order for five electric planes from Beta Technologies

Loganair inks order for five electric planes from Beta Technologies

Electric aircraft set to take flight from 2029, making Loganair the first commercial operator in Europe to offer electric routes

clock 22 July 2026 • 3 min read
Vertical Aerospace explores potential UK factory sites for its electric air taxis

Vertical Aerospace explores potential UK factory sites for its electric air taxis

Aviation start-up in 'advanced discussions' for £10m in government funding, alongside 'broad package of support' to help kick start production of its electric aircraft in the UK

clock 22 July 2026 • 2 min read