en.Wedoany.com Reported - Rolls-Royce has adjusted its sales strategy for the Trent XWB-84 engine, offering only the Enhanced Performance (EP) version to customers in the future, discontinuing the baseline variant. Previously an option, the EP version has now become the de facto standard power configuration for the Airbus A350-900, with all aircraft using the XWB-84 engine rated at 84,000 pounds-force (375 kN).

Since entering commercial service with Delta Air Lines in May last year, the EP engine fleet has achieved an average fuel consumption reduction of approximately 1.8% compared to the baseline variant, outperforming the initial expectation of 1%. The company explained that offering only the EP version in "current and future sales activities" is to ensure customers receive the promised value and performance of the engine. While some customers opted for the EP version from the start, others have upgraded their baseline XWB-84 orders to the EP variant. Rolls-Royce added that operators whose engines have not yet entered production "continue to show strong interest in upgrades."

To develop the EP version, the engine manufacturer implemented a series of improvements to optimize overall airflow, including adjustments to fan blades, refined cruise performance settings, and redistribution of cooling air within the core. However, differences between the two standards mean that engines cannot be upgraded after entering service. Therefore, Rolls-Royce will continue to produce the baseline XWB-84 alongside the EP version for a period to fulfill existing orders. The company stated: "We will continue to offer both XWB-84 variants based on existing committed orders, but it is expected that over time, these orders will fully transition to the XWB-84 EP."

Rob Watson, President of Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, told reporters on July 2 that each percentage point reduction in fuel consumption corresponds to annual savings of approximately $500,000 per aircraft. Citing a fleet of 20 aircraft as an example, he said: "This directly translates into a cost improvement of $9 million or $10 million for your bottom line, and we believe the EP version is very important for customers." Currently, the XWB-84 is primarily assembled at Rolls-Royce's main factory in Derby, UK, but the company plans to add additional capacity at its Dahlewitz facility near Berlin by the end of the 2020s.