Formula 1 race team Williams is joining with British group Electroflight to help build the world's fastest electric airplane — a sleek single-seater with an anticipated top speed above 260 knots, which would shatter the existing record for electric flight.
The group says the airplane will be powered by a unique contra-rotating electric propulsion system consisting of two fixed-pitch propellers mated to an extremely low-drag airframe. Electroflight showed off a mockup of its electric race plane recently at the Red Bull Air Races in Ascot, England.
Williams Advanced Engineering will serve as technical lead for the airplane's electric motor and high-power structural battery system. The company is the main engineering force behind the world-famous Williams Martini Racing F1 team, which is also involved in the new Formula E electric racing series.
Electroflight says it's now working to draw investor support for the project that will enable it to build its record-setting airplane. The current speed record for an electric airplane is around 190 knots.
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