Research Overview

Commercial aviation contributes about 3% of all CO2 emissions globally. With the number of passengers constantly increasing and the number of aircraft forecasted to almost double by 2050, this percentage is expected to rise significantly. Industry stakeholders are working to reduce emissions by moving to alternative energy sources and using sustainable aviation fuels to power all-electric aircraft and hybrid-electric aircraft. All-electric and hybrid-electric aircraft produce much lower emissions than conventional aircraft. Thus, the increasing adoption of such aircraft will support the industry’s decarbonization and sustainability goals. OEMs are working with battery manufacturers and other stakeholders to develop and deliver all-electric aircraft for commercial use, especially for regional and domestic routes.

Current battery technology and electric propulsion systems pose some key limitations for the use of all-electric aircraft. Several different organizations, government agencies, investors, and others are looking for opportunities to collaborate to develop all-electric aircraft with sufficient range and payload capacity. The advantages of all-electric aircraft outweigh the challenges. The successful commercial deployment of these aircraft is expected to provide significant economic and environmental benefits.