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Jaguar I-Pace To Provide Ground Support for EV Flight Speed Record Attempt

Jaguar has sent its I-Pace EV to provide ground support for a UK-led program trying to claim the electric flight speed record later this year. The target speed is at least 300 mph (482 kph), roughly the top speed of a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, except, of course, in the air.
Jaguar I-PACE and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation EV plane 6 photos
Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar I-PACE and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation EV planeJaguar I-PACE and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation EV planeJaguar I-PACE and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation EV planeJaguar I-PACE and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation EV planeJaguar I-PACE and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation EV plane
The fully electric Rolls-Royce "Spirit of Innovation" plane was created by the ACCEL program (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight), and the team has already completed key ground testing and taxiing ahead of the first test flight, which is still a few months away.

Jaguar offering to lend a hand with this endeavor isn’t all that surprising, considering how the carmaker aims to become a fully electric brand in just a few years' time, with parent company JLR aiming for total carbon neutrality by 2039.

“The I-PACE is a real pioneer, when it launched in 2018 it was the world’s first premium all-electric SUV, establishing Jaguar as a leader in electrification and setting the brand on a path to become fully electric by 2025. We’re delighted to be supporting another Great British innovator [Rolls-Royce] with the ‘Spirit of Innovation’ team, as they look to bring electrified aviation into the nation’s psyche with this incredible 300 mph record,” said JLR UK managing director Rawdon Glover.

The Spirit of Innovation boasts a 500+ hp electric motor, as well as the most power-dense battery pack ever used on an aircraft. It’s supposedly enough energy to fuel 250 homes or fly from London to Paris on a single charge.

Rolls-Royce is also committing to net-zero carbon emissions, with new products targeting a 2030 deadline and the rest aiming for 2050. The luxury brand also plans on using technology from ACCEL when it comes to a future portfolio of electric and hybrid-electric air mobility and commuter products.
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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
Sergiu Tudose profile photo

Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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