The best solution for trips up to 1,000 kilometers; accounting for 50% of all flights worldwideDelft, February 17, 2025 — New research from CE Delft, commissioned by Elysian Aircraft, confirms that battery-electric flight, as exemplified by the Elysian E9X, is the most effective solution for regional aviation up to 1,000 kilometers. The study, which compares the environmental impact of various air and land transport methods over their full lifecycle, concludes that by 2035, battery-electric aviation will have the lowest climate impact of all available options.Electric Flight Has the Lowest Environmental ImpactThe study shows that by 2035, battery-electric flight will have by far the lowest climate impact compared to all other aviation solutions, including kerosene, hydrogen, biofuel (bioSAF), and synthetic fuel (eSAF). The study analyzes the full lifecycle of each option, taking into account infrastructure, vehicle production, and fuel generation, while also considering both CO₂ and non-CO₂ climate effects.The findings indicate that electric flight reduces climate impact by 70% compared to kerosene, the primary fuel for most aircraft today. Additionally, it is three to four times more energy-efficient than sustainable alternatives such as hydrogen or synthetic biofuel (eSAF), with 50% lower climate impact."Electric flight can significantly reduce climate impact due to two key factors: the high energy efficiency of the E9X and the absence of non-CO₂ climate effects. This allows electric flight to cut climate impact by approximately 70%." says Coen van der Giesen, Senior LCA Researcher at CE Delft.Rob Wolleswinkel, co-founder of Elysian adds: "Due to its low efficiency, synthetic fuel (eSAF) should only be used when no other alternative is available. In addition, bioSAF is in limited supply, with other industries such as shipping and heavy road transport also competing for these resources. Moreover, biomass production can conflict with food supply or lead to deforestation."Electric Flight Emissions Comparable to Electric Cars or TrainsWith a fully green electricity grid, battery-electric flight has a climate footprint comparable to an electric car carrying four passengers or a train. Compared to a single-occupancy electric vehicle, flying on green electricity is four times better. And with the 2035 power mix, flying electric is already twice better than driving an electric car alone. Moreover, electric flying requires less infrastructure investment and land use than building railroads.
Blueprint for 2050: Electric Flight as the Standard for Travel Up to 1,000 kmDespite large investments by the aviation industry, bioSAF and eSAF alone are not sufficient to achieve net-zero aviation by 2050. Projections show that meeting emissions targets by 2050 will be a huge challenge for the sector. However, there is hope — electric flight presents a compelling complement to bioSAF and eSAF.”Flights up to 1,000 kilometers constitute 50% of all flights and account for about one-fifth of aviation-related CO2 emissions,” says Wolleswinkel. “We need to invest significantly more in electric aviation to accelerate emissions reductions in the sector. With the introduction of the E9X last year, we already demonstrated that large-scale electric flight is feasible. This study confirms that electric aviation must become the norm to meet climate targets. For flights up to 1,000 kilometers, the transition to electric is essential, ensuring that bioSAF, eSAF, and hydrogen remain available for long-haul flights, where they are most needed."
Blueprint for 2050: Electric Flight as the Standard for Travel Up to 1,000 kmDespite large investments by the aviation industry, bioSAF and eSAF alone are not sufficient to achieve net-zero aviation by 2050. Projections show that meeting emissions targets by 2050 will be a huge challenge for the sector. However, there is hope — electric flight presents a compelling complement to bioSAF and eSAF.”Flights up to 1,000 kilometers constitute 50% of all flights and account for about one-fifth of aviation-related CO2 emissions,” says Wolleswinkel. “We need to invest significantly more in electric aviation to accelerate emissions reductions in the sector. With the introduction of the E9X last year, we already demonstrated that large-scale electric flight is feasible. This study confirms that electric aviation must become the norm to meet climate targets. For flights up to 1,000 kilometers, the transition to electric is essential, ensuring that bioSAF, eSAF, and hydrogen remain available for long-haul flights, where they are most needed."
Figure 21 - CO₂ and non-CO₂ climate change impact of transport per person-km (g CO₂-eq./pkm) per technology in 2035 and in a green future.
For more information: Elysian AircraftElysian Aircraftpress@elysianaircraft.comCE DelftCE DelftHan Schouten, schouten@ce.nl