• 11 Nov 2024 06:50 AM
• 0

Rolls-Royce Electric Propulsion to Shut Down

Rolls-Royce Electrical is preparing to shutter its operations, the engine maker confirmed in news reports after failing to secure a buyer for the electric propulsion unit. The UK-based company has not specified the scope of its plans to close the propulsion subsidiary and its properties, or how it could impact Rolls- Royce’s hybrid-electric business that it is continuing, Aviation Week and FlightGlobal reported in September.

Rolls-Royce Electrical was created in 2022 by combining the engine maker’s electric aviation business with the eAircraft unit acquired from Siemens in 2019. Selling this electrical subsidiary was part of a bigger strategy by Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç to refocus and downsize the engine maker, which has also included layoffs. The company had said a sale would help reduce debt and raise up to $1.9B in the next five years (see “Rolls-Royce Retrenches,” Vertiflite, March/April 2024), but the impacts of shutting down the unit are unknown.

Rolls-Royce Electrical provided the propulsion system for the original uncrewed Airbus CityAirbus eVTOL, but not the current CityAirbus Next. The propulsion agreements with Vertical Aerospace and Tecnam Aircraft have also ended.