Wright Electric and its partners have been selected to receive a $3.34M award from the FAA FAST program to develop a new class of batteries that will enable zero emission aircraft flights on large 100+ passenger aircraft.

It is widely agreed that lightweighting batteries is the most difficult technical challenge preventing the adoption of electric aircraft. The objective of the R&D program is to construct highly energy dense batteries which hold roughly three times more energy per pound of weight than the best electric car batteries. These batteries would enable the wide scale adoption of electric aircraft in the 100+ passenger segment.

“When Wright Electric was founded in 2016, the idea of a battery that would allow aircraft to fly regional routes with reserves seemed like a fantasy to most people,” says Jeff Engler, CEO at Wright Electric. “Now, we are one of several companies with a viable path toward a technology that will enable regional aircraft flights entirely on battery power.”

Wright was founded to address the climate and noise impact of the aerospace industry by building electric aircraft. Wright is focusing on the 100+ passenger aircraft market because this segment accounts for greater than 90% of the carbon emissions of the aerospace industry. Wright builds ultra-power-dense electric aircraft engines and ultra-lightweight batteries for these aircraft. Wright works with NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

The batteries Wright is developing use a novel molten Lithium-Sulfur chemistry with the potential for roughly 3x the gravimetric energy capacity of commercial li-ion. In this program Wright will emphasize reducing risks tied to airworthiness and high volume production.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to mature this technology and accelerate the decarbonization of air transportation in New York State,” says Engler. “This award will greatly accelerate our work to advance clean air travel and we couldn’t be more excited to get started.”

The funding for the FAA FAST program was provided by the Inflation Reduction Act.

“As one of the leading advocates in Congress for innovation and the advancement of clean energy technologies, I’m thrilled to see Malta’s own Wright Electric receive this significant infusion of federal funding,” says Congressman Paul D. Tonko. “This grant, one of just 36 awarded nationwide through the FAA FAST program, will deliver $3.34 million to advance Wright’s groundbreaking work on ultra-lightweight batteries for use on commercial passenger flights. When I visited their facility in 2022, I was deeply impressed by their commitment to pioneering zero-emission regional flights, and I’ve been proud in recent years to support their efforts to secure new federal investments. This award represents a critical step forward for Wright Electric and for our Capital Region, as we continue to lead the nation in the fight against climate change. Going forward, I’m eager to keep working alongside local companies to find innovative solutions to combat our climate crisis.”