UK’s Most Advanced Aerospace Battery Facility Unveiled In Bristol

The new aircrafts require high-performing and safer batteries than anything on the market today. This new aerospace battery facility will unlock this, bringing the reality of electric flight even closer.

@Vertical Aerospace 

Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero-emissions aviation, announced another significant UK investment and innovation milestone with the opening of the Vertical Energy Centre (VEC), believed to be the UK’s most advanced aerospace battery facility, based in Bristol.

The development of new aircrafts has led to a demand for more advanced and safer batteries. Vertical Aerospace has responded to this need by opening the Vertical Energy Centre (VEC) in Bristol, which is considered to be the most advanced aerospace battery facility in the UK.

The 15,000ft2 state-of-the-art facility houses a 50-strong battery team from various companies including McLaren, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce. The team is working on proprietary battery technology that offers greater power to weight ratios for eVTOL flight. The facility has conducted extensive testing to ensure the safety and efficiency of its battery systems, including crash and thermal runaway testing under the supervision of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Vertical is aiming to deliver high-power, high-performance battery packs capable of powering eVTOL aircraft, and is hoping to achieve an entry into service with a 220Wh/kg battery system, enabling its VX4 to conduct back-to-back missions.

The recent £14m funding secured by Vertical from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the UK government, along with its partnership with University College London (UCL), will help to increase the core capability of Vertical’s battery system and improve recycling efficiency.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder and CEO of Vertical, commented, “Delivering the electric aircraft of the future requires innovation at its best which is why Vertical is championing UK electric battery development, said Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder and CEO of Vertical. The world-class team in Bristol will be pushing new boundaries to design battery systems fit for electrifying our future.

 “Vertical’s investment in cutting-edge battery technology brings us one step closer to delivering zero-emission flight, a central objective of the Jet Zero Council. Tomorrow’s technologies like zero-emissions aviation will not only provide a boost to sustainable growth, but are essential for generating the new, high-quality jobs that will take Britain’s economy into the future.” – UK Minister for Investment, Lord Johnson.

@Vertical Aerospace