Wright Electric reports that it had completed development of the rotor for its second-generation motor, WM2500, as part of the ARPA-E ASCEND program. WM2500 aims to be the world's most powerful (2.5 megawatts) and power-dense (16 kW/kg) electric aircraft engine.

High power enables WM2500 to deliver sufficient takeoff thrust for a large commercial aircraft. High power density facilitates a lightweight package for aviation.

A motor has two main parts: the rotor, the part that rotates, and the stator, the part that stays stationary. The rotor on WM2500 has been completed.

Wright is fabricating the stator now, with a target for final assembly of the motor this summer.

Once the motor is complete, Wright will conduct initial testing at its lab in Albany using a custom-built dynamometer. Then the team will head to the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) facility for altitude chamber testing.