Wright 2.5MW WM2500 electric aircraft engine assembled
04 December 2024
Wright has finished final assembly of its second-generation megawatt-class motor, WM2500, built with support from DOE ARPA-E and NASA. WM2500 is a 2.5 MW (3,300+ horsepower) electric aircraft engine targeted for industry-leading power and power density.
It is designed to replace the engine core of a jet engine, enabling current airplanes to become electric. It works with ducted fan and propeller-based aircraft, and it forms the core of Wright’s C-130 hybrid-electrification program.
2.5 MW of shaft power is needed to power aircraft with 100+ passengers. These larger aircraft account for more than 90% of the carbon and noise footprint of the aerospace industry; electric engines of this size are a crucial building block for decarbonizing aerospace.
Wright will conduct testing of the WM2500 at its laboratory in Albany, NY, before heading to NASA’s NEAT facility for altitude chamber testing. The company will then conduct propulsion test stand testing and then move to aircraft ground and flight testing.
The photo leaves the impression that the depicted e-motor is of the radial flux type. Avionic ventures worldwide are concentrating on the axial flux type which offers the best power-to-weight ratio, requires less volume and is lighter in comparison to a radial flux type. Doesn't appear to be very innovative.
Posted by: yoatmon | 04 December 2024 at 02:53 AM
"2.5 MW of shaft power is needed to power aircraft with 100+ passengers.
These larger aircraft account for more than 90% of the carbon and noise footprint of the aerospace industry"
This is what you need for an aircraft in the 70-90 passenger class, like an ATR72 and a Q400.
This is not enough to lift an A320 class (or 737 class) aircraft and that is where the bulk of the market (and noise and CO2).
+ if you add enough batteries to an ATR72, you won't have much space of passengers.
Posted by: mahonj | 04 December 2024 at 03:15 AM
Zero Avia is doing an ATR 72 with electric motors and fuel cells running liquid hydrogen. It looks promising.
Posted by: SJC | 04 December 2024 at 11:48 AM