Can hybrid-electric aviation clear the sky for sustainable air travel?

Other conference contribution, 2025

Aviation contributes approximately 2–3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and this share is expected to grow as aviation remains the fastest-growing transport sector, with annual traffic projected to increase steadily until 2050. The International Civil Aviation Organization has set a target for achieving net-zero carbon emissions from aviation globally by 2050. Electrification of airplanes has emerged as a promising strategy, attracting significant attention from both industry and academia. This study assesses the potential future environmental performance of a hybrid-electric airplane, modeled on an industrial design proposal provided by a company manufacturing the airplane. A prospective life cycle assessment was performed for the years 2030, 2040, and 2050. A functional unit of one passenger-kilometer is considered and the system boundary is from cradle to grave. The model accounts for key factors influencing airplane production and its use phase, including motor design, power source, battery performance, and flight profile. It also incorporates potential changes in critical background sectors (such as steel production, fuel supply, and electricity generation) under different future scenarios. The results provide insights into the environmental performance of hybrid-electric aviation relative to conventional combustion-based aviation, identify environmental hotspots within the product system, and highlight areas with notable potential for impact reduction. Preliminary findings suggest that hybrid-electric aviation could reduce environmental impacts considerably compared to conventional aviation. Sensitivity analyses indicate that technology-related parameters have the greatest influence on the uncertainty of the results. These findings offer valuable insights into the environmental implications of electric aviation and can serve as a foundation for enhancing the design and sustainability of future electric airplanes.