A Look at the New All-Electric Rolls-Royce Aircraft Coming in 2026

In 2019, Rolls-Royce’s project to build the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft took a leap into the future of aviation when the company unveiled its plane at Gloucestershire Airport near Cheltenham in the UK. Work has since continued on the ground-breaking electrical propulsion system that will see the private passenger plane hit its target of zero-emissions at a speed of 483kph (300mph) and enter service in 2026.

Meet the P-Volt

A fully electrified aircraft has been a favorite air travel news topic for almost a decade, but none has come as close to bringing a fast, all-electric passenger plane to service as Rolls-Royce. The plane is called the P-Volt: it’s an all-electric, short- and medium-range aircraft with a twin electric motor that will offer private passenger flights at the types of speeds we’re already used to travelling, while producing zero-carbon emissions. 

Rolls-Royce has partnered on the development of the P-Volt with a number of major worldwide aviation players over the years, but recent tie-ups with Italian aeronautics manufacturer Tecnam and Norwegian airline Widerøe suggest that the race to bring to market the first all-electric fast plane is heating up. This could put Rolls-Royce on track to make it into the record books in 2026.

While Rolls-Royce’s expertise will focus on propulsion and power systems, Tecnam is providing aircraft design, manufacturing and certification capabilities, while Widerøe, as launch operator, will ensure that all the requirements of an airline operator are in place for the plane’s debut.

Towards green aviation

At Air Charter Service (ACS), we recognize the importance of dealing with climate change, and we understand that technology will play a fundamental role in enabling the transition to a low-carbon global economy. With an eye on the future, any news that includes fuel-efficient products, development of sustainable aviation fuels, or pioneering new technologies is met with excitement – so it’s a good reason to keep the P-Volt on our radar.

What do we know about this aircraft and its potential to reduce any impact on the environment?

The P-Volt will produce no direct carbon emissions, although it still isn’t clear whether the generation of the electricity to charge the batteries will do so. In the past, the main challenge for electric propulsion was the power and duration of the batteries. Finding efficient ways to store electric energy in an aircraft where weight and size are severely restricted has until now held back the development of an all-electric commuter plane – one that could potentially be used in future for private jet charter.

Rolls-Royce has had to design its own batteries for its electric aircraft. This forms part of its Accelerating the Electrification of Flight (ACCEL) project: it involves a wide collection of partners including the British electric motor and controller manufacturer, YASA, and the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute, which has provided half of the project’s funding, in partnership with the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK.

The ACCEL project has turned up a series of firsts for Rolls-Royce. Not only is it aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 with its electric aircraft, it’s also the first Rolls-Royce project to use carbon offsetting to make the whole program carbon-neutral. It did this by using specially developed software to calculate the total life cycle of CO2e emissions generated by the project (including electricity used in the manufacturing process and to operate the aircraft during test flights, heating the building, supply chain logistics, and sourcing and supplying raw materials).

ACCEL then offset the calculated 198 tonnes of CO2e for the project through a biodiversity project in Indonesia, which supports local communities to protect the rainforest and endangered orangutans, as well as a UK-based afforestation project that will plant more than 1,100 native broadleaf trees in southern Scotland.

P-Volt specifications

Battery

The battery pack for Rolls-Royce’s all-electric private plane, called the Spirit of Innovation,  comprises 6,000 cells, which are bundled for maximum lightness and thermal protection. Enough energy is produced to fly 282km (Toronto to Pennsylvania) on a single charge with an advanced cooling system that allows the battery pack to withstand the extreme temperatures and high-current demands of flight. The Spirit of Innovation is the most power-dense battery pack ever manufactured for an airplane.

Airframe

The test airframe has been dubbed ionBird after the electrical technology propelling the P-Volt. It will be used to test the propulsion system before it is integrated into the plane. The prototype Nemesis NXT aircraft has clocked up a number of air speed records, and is now on display in the US National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Motors

The all-electric aircraft will use three 750R lightweight e-motors manufactured by the previously mentioned British company, YASA. These power-dense motors will deliver more than 500 horsepower to the propeller at a lower RPM than a conventional aircraft, for increased stability and less noise. During the record run, the powertrain delivered power with 90% energy efficiency and zero emissions (by comparison, a Formula One vehicle tops out at about 50% energy efficiency).

Avionics

The avionics concern the control hardware for the aircraft, including the engine control unit, power distribution unit, and flight sensors. To deliver safety and high performance, sensors will collect in-flight information across more than 20,000 points on the powertrain every second, measuring battery voltage, temperature, and general performance metrics.

Range and speed

The aircraft will be able to fly at a top speed of at least 480km, or 300mph (the current speed record is 338kph, or 210mph, set by Siemens in 2017). The maximum range will likely fall somewhere between 1,100km and 4,000km (that’s 600 to 2,490 miles)

Cabin

While details of the Rolls-Royce all-electric aircraft cabin have not yet been released, it’s expected to accommodate between 10 and 15 passengers. Tecnam have stated that the P-Volt will be based on the manufacturer’s 11-seat-category aircraft. Since the plane has been designed to be used for cargo transportation, medical evacuations, special missions, and commercial passenger and private charter flights, it follows that its cabin will be retrofitted for purpose.

The company behind the P-Volt

While many think that Rolls-Royce is mainly in the passenger vehicle business, Rolls-Royce cars are now built by BMW. The British company is currently the world’s second largest manufacturer of aircraft engines, and its jet engines have been used in a wide range of airplanes, from fighters including the Typhoon and F-35, to the Airbus A380, the largest commercial passenger aircraft in the world.

Experience the luxury of private jet travel today with ACS

While there are another few years to go before fast, all-electric flight hits the airways, you can experience the time-saving flexibility and convenience of flying in some of the world’s fastest private jets right now with Air Charter Service (ACS). You’ll be able to travel in supreme comfort and style aboard one of our luxury private jets – refer to this handy aircraft guide to explore the range of planes you can charter to suit your needs. Contact us for a jet charter quote today or speak to one of our travel and concierge experts to discuss a private jet charter that meets every travel eventuality.

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