US-based Wright Electric successfully ran its 2.5MW motor and inverter together for the first time last week, a significant milestone for its program to develop the most powerful electric-propulsion system for aircraft yet.
The company’s WM2500 motor and its WV250 inverter had first been tested individually. For the integrated ground test they were linked together with hundreds of connection-points, and the firmware fine-tuned.
Wright plans to use its electric propulsion system to convert BAe 146 regional aircraft. The Wright Spirit will be capable of transporting up to 100-passengers for one-hour flights and is planned to fly for the first time in 2027.
The WM2500 and the WV250 will be the most powerful and power-dense aerospace motor and motor ever been built when built. The program has been run in part with the US Department of Energy’s ARPA-E ASCEND program and with NASA.
Ultimately Wright Electric, which was founded in 2016 aims to use its propulsion system in a 186-seat airliner Wright 1 aircraft. The company is targeting a 2032 entry into service for its Wright 1, with an 800 mile (1,300km) range.
Jeff Engler, founder and CEO of Wright Electric said, “WM2500 and WV250 engaged many employees at Wright, multiple contractors, and dozens of leading suppliers, partners, and sub-assembly shops, all pushing limits at multiple levels. For example, precision machining meant that we had to use a particular device of which there were only five in the entire United States.”
The next steps for the WM2500 and WV250 include higher power testing, altitude chamber testing at NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed, thrust testing, and aircraft testing.
