In pics: Rolls-Royce's 'Spirit of Innovation' is the world's fastest all-electric plane

Rolls-Royce has announced that its ‘Spirit of Innovation’ plane is officially the world's fastest all-electric aircraft, having broken two new world records which have now been independently verified.

Both records have been officially verified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the World Air Sports Federation that controls and certifies world aeronautical and astronautical documents.

The record-setting aircraft is propelled by a 400kW electric powertrain and packs "the most power-dense propulsion battery pack ever assembled in aerospace."

The aircraft reached a top speed of 555.9 km/h (345.4 mph) over 3 kilometres, smashing the existing record by 213.04 km/h (132mph). In further runs at the UK Ministry of Defence's Boscombe Down experimental aircraft testing site, the aircraft achieved 532.1km/h (330 mph) over 15 kilometres - 292.8km/h (182 mph) faster than the previous record. 

Both records have been officially verified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the World Air Sports Federation that controls and certifies world aeronautical and astronautical documents.

During its record-breaking runs, the aircraft, part of the UK Government-backed ACCEL or `Accelerating the Electrification of Flight` project, also clocked up a maximum top speed of 623km/h (387.4mph), making it the world`s fastest all-electric vehicle. 

Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation was developed under the brand's Accelerating the Electrification of Flight project. The venture has been funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK and Aerospace Technology Institute.

The plane has a sleek look, with space for a single passenger, a blue nose, and a propeller at the front. It also bears the brand's logos.

Warren East, CEO of Rolls-Royce, said, "The advanced battery and propulsion technology developed for this program has exciting applications for the Advanced Air Mobility market," said Warren East, CEO of Rolls-Royce.

"This will help make 'jet zero' a reality and supports our ambitions to deliver technology breakthroughs society needs to decarbonize transport across air, land, and sea," he added.

The United Kingdom had recently announced a 'Jet Zero' plan to bring down its aviation emissions. Under this programme, the country aims to bring down greenhouse gas emissions from aviation to make carbon-free transatlantic flights possible within a generation.

The aircraft uses a 400kW electric powertrain - the equivalent of a 535 BHP supercar.

Rolls-Royce, whose aerospace headquarters are based in Derby, said the propulsion battery pack was the most power-dense ever assembled for a plane - enough to charge 7,500 phones.