Vertical Aerospace, an aerospace and technology company innovating zero-emissions aviation, recently announced the opening of the Vertical Energy Centre (VEC) in Bristol, considered the UK's most advanced aerospace battery facility. The Vertical Energy Centre (VEC) will help develop, test, and commercialize Vertical's custom-made battery pack for its VX4 aircraft.
The multimillion-pound, cutting-edge, 15,000-square-foot facility is one of the most reliable aerospace battery facilities in the United Kingdom. It is home to Vertical's current 50-person battery team, comprised of experts from McLaren, the European Space Agency, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, and Dyson, who develop battery technology that enables greater power-to-weight ratios for eVTOL flight. It is expected that cutting-edge technologies will transform the capabilities of battery technology to date.
Vertical's battery systems have experienced a wide range of testing, including vibration, conducted emissions, temperature, thermal durability and characterization, propagation and drop testing at the VEC. It has made significant progress with battery tests in the past, having conducted crash and thermal runaway testing under the supervision of European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority. Vertical's Head of Powertrain, Dr. Limhi Somerville, leads the eVTOL EuroCAE electrical certification group, defining the battery standards for electric aviation with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
In addition, Vertical has developed substantial intellectual property around battery design, including cooling, cell packaging, and electronic battery management systems to deliver high-power, improved-performance battery packs capable of powering eVTOL aircraft. With its goal of entering into service with a 220Wh/kg battery system, developed intellectual property will allow Vertical's VX4 to conduct back-to-back missions, having fast-charging cycles in between, and minimize the impact on the packs' cycle life.
About Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Aerospace is one of the leaders in the creation of electric aviation. Stephen Fitzpatrick, a leading energy and technology group and Europe's largest independent energy retailer, an established entrepreneur, and the founder of the Ovo Group, founded Vertical Aerospace in 2016. The company has concentrated on assembling the most seasoned and senior team in the eVTOL industry, whose members are certified and support over 30 distinct civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems. Vertical's VX4 eVTOL is anticipated to be competent to transport a pilot and up to four passengers over distances of up to 100 miles, at a cruise speed of 150 miles per hour, with minimal noise and zero operating emissions.