Precision measurements of the electron component in the cosmic radiation provide important information about the origin and propagation of cosmic rays in the Galaxy .
Here we present new results regarding negatively charged electrons between 1 and 625 GeV performed by the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA .
This is the first time that cosmic-ray { e ^ { - } } have been identified above 50 GeV .
The electron spectrum can be described with a single power law energy dependence with spectral index -3.18 \pm 0.05 above the energy region influenced by the solar wind ( > 30 GeV ) .
No significant spectral features are observed and the data can be interpreted in terms of conventional diffusive propagation models .
However , the data are also consistent with models including new cosmic-ray sources that could explain the rise in the positron fraction .