Rolls-Royce plans £80m investment into ESS

Set to take place over the next decade, the investment in ESS is expected to create around 300 jobs by 2030 and position Rolls Royce as a leading supplier of all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems for aviation.

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Rolls-Royce said its certified ESS products will power electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market and fixed-wing aircraft, with up to 19 seats, in the commuter market. Rolls-Royce added that is planning to integrate over five million battery cells per annum into modular systems by 2035.

In a statement, Rob Watson, director of electrical, Rolls-Royce, said: “We are developing a portfolio of energy storage solutions to complement our electrical propulsion systems. This will ensure that we can offer our customers a complete electric propulsion system for their platform, whether that is an eVTOL or a commuter aircraft. It will enable us to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for all-electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems, which is incredibly exciting as these new markets develop and expand.”