WHITE PAPER
Hybrid & Electric Propulsion Systems for Sustainable Aviation
The commercial aviation industry is at the threshold of a decades-long transformation to dramatically improve its environmental sustainability. The success of this quest will largely depend on the development of new, more efficient propulsion systems. Unfortunately, current propulsion technologies are insufficiently advanced to enable a singular, comprehensive leap to solve the problem. Instead, commercial aviation companies must segment their approach, simultaneously developing multiple propulsion systems on separate timelines. This strategy will enable manufacturers to improve sustainability in the short term — through the development of hybrid-electric systems that use a combination of batteries and traditional combustion — while working toward hydrogen-powered and all- electric systems.