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Rolls-Royce's all-electric aircraft completes 15-minute maiden voyage

Rolls-Royce, best known in aviation for its jet engines, has taken an all-electric airplane on its maiden voyage. The "Spirit of Innovation" completed a 15 minute flight, marking "the beginning of an intensive flight-testing phase in which we will be collecting valuable performance data on the aircraft’s electrical power and propulsion system," the company announced.  Rolls-Royce said the one-seat airplane has "the most power-dense battery pack every assembled for an aircraft." The aircraft uses a 6,000 cell battery pack with a three-motor powertrain that currently delivers 400kW (500-plus horsepower), and Rolls-Royce said the aircraft will eventually achieve speeds of over 300 MPH.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The flight comes about a year after the originally scheduled takeoff and about six months after taxi trials. Rolls-Royce is also developing an air taxi with manufacturer Tecnam, with the aim of delivering an "all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market," according to the companies. It has previously teamed with Siemens and Airbus on another e-plane concept.  Aircraft companies have been exploring electric airplanes for a number of years, as air travel and cargo accounts for an increasing amount of greenhouse gases. The World Wildlife Foundation has called it "currently the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make."  Weight is a much bigger problem for airplanes that it is for cars, however. Ford's all-electric Lightning pickup weighs 1,800 pounds more than the gas-powered model, and offers a range that's slightly under half. However, if you added 1,800 pounds to to a Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair, you'd exceed its useful load by 500 pounds before you even loaded passengers (or the pilot) — so it wouldn't even get off the ground.  The project was half funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute and UK government, with the aim of eventually creating all-electric passenger planes. "This is not only about breaking a world record; the advanced battery and propulsion technology developed for this programme has exciting applications for the Urban Air Mobility market and can help make ‘jet zeroÂ’ a reality," said Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East. This article by S. Dent originally appeared on Engadget. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge combines elevated power, style, luxury

For once, a black-themed special-edition vehicle actually has some depth. And it had better, because it's a Rolls-Royce. The new Cullinan Black Badge is not simply an SUV with black exhaust tips, a black grille, and black trim work, though it does have all three. In addition to a myriad of design treatments, some of which have never been applied to a Rolls-Royce, the Cullinan BB has increased power, a sportier drive setup, and unique features specific to this vehicle.  One of the most significant upgrades between the base Cullinan and the Black Badge is the performance. Rolls-Royce finessed the twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter to make 600 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, both up from 563 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 takes only 4.9 seconds, and it tops out at 155 mph. The Black Badge also has "intuitive throttle," which makes the ZF eight-speed transmission shift a little more aggressively, and a "low" button on the gear shift opens up a deep-voiced exhaust note. Furthering the package, Rolls-Royce made changes to the suspension components and settings to ready for lively driving. A higher brake point in the pedal travel and redesigned high-temperature-resistant brake discs help keep the SUV in check. This is also the first time ever a Rolls-Royce has used colored brake calipers.  Said to represent the style of a younger generation, "permanent bespoke" Black Badge vehicles undergo a dark transformation. We say dark, because black is not the only paint option. A white model was also shown at the unveiling and contrasted well with other darkened parts on the SUV. Apparently, each paint job is hand-polished for up to five hours to ensure peak shiny. Rolls-Royce emphasized how big of a deal it was to use a black Spirit of Ecstasy, which changed color thanks to a chemical process, not paint or wraps. The inverted badging, grille surround, side frame finishers, trunk handle, trunk trim, lower air inlet finisher, and exhaust pipes also received black makeovers, and new 22-inch black and silver wheels adorn each corner. Inside, "The King of the Night," as Rolls-Royce says (guess that title is available after the last season of "Game of Thrones"), has more all-new features. Crafted with a leather headliner and 1,344 fiber optic strands, the Starlight ceiling is introduced to the Cullinan with eight white shooting stars integrated into the pattern. The carbon fiber has been redesigned with aluminum weave and shows off a 3D geometric pattern.

'Top Gear' episode 4 recap | A road trip through Borneo

Episode four of "Top Gear" season 27 is officially in the books, and if you like Freddie and Paddy, you probably enjoyed this one. The two went on a hell of an adventure through Borneo, but didn’t bring Chris Harris along for the ride. Maybe we were just getting accustomed to the three of them hanging out together, but the trip felt like it was missing something without Chris. Regardless, the feature film of this episode revolved around Freddie and Paddy driving the cheapest, rarest cars they could find. They bought them in Europe, then drove all throughout the island of Borneo, eventually reaching Brunei. Freddie got himself an Austin Allegro Estate, while Paddy made do with a Matra Bagheera S. If you had to look those cars up, we donÂ’t blame you. TheyÂ’re both rather obscure models, so itÂ’s safe to say they hit their mark on the rare requirement. Back at home base in England, Chris says he was reviewing a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Funnily enough, Rolls wouldnÂ’t loan a Cullinan to "Top Gear" to test, so they had to go out and borrow one for the review. After listening to ChrisÂ’ thoughts on the SUV, it starts to become clear why Rolls may not have wanted the exposure. We wonÂ’t give it all away, but letÂ’s just say that the ultra-luxury ute didnÂ’t receive the most glowing of reviews. Bob Mortimer was the celebrity guest, so there were plenty of laughs to be had in his segment. He wasnÂ’t exactly fast in any of the car challenges, but the entertainment factor was certainly present with him cracking jokes. Even though the Borneo trip wasnÂ’t exactly the same without Chris, the other two managed quite well on their own. Freddie ate a live bug, and the mid-engine Matra made it to the end against all odds. Perhaps itÂ’s a testament to the companyÂ’s history of weathering tough conditions — Matra did win Le Mans three times throughout its history after all. At the very end of the episode, the boys made an admirable gesture by speaking out against the Sultan of BruneiÂ’s horrific laws against homosexual relations. They said that the filming for the episode occurred before the Sultan announced the new laws, and if "Top Gear" had known these rules would be enacted beforehand, they wouldnÂ’t have featured Borneo in their film. In response, Freddie and Paddy modified their Borneo rides with an epic paint job as a form of protesting the anti-gay laws. Good on ya, "Top Gear." Featured Gallery Top Gear episode 4 photos TV/Movies Rolls-Royce Top Gear