Decarbonizing Aviation Ground Operations: Alternative Bus Technologies

The report evaluates the transition of airport bus fleets from diesel to low-emission alternatives. It identifies retrofitted electric buses as the most cost-effective transitional option, while battery-electric buses offer long-term operational savings. Hydrogen buses provide superior range and refuelling speed but currently face the highest capital and infrastructure costs. A TCO analysis for a European hub airport shows that driver salaries are the dominant cost driver across all technologies, and government subsidies are critical for offsetting high upfront investments in zero-emission fleets.

• Retrofitted diesel vehicles with electric powertrains are identified as a cost-effective transitional solution, allowing airports to reduce emissions rapidly without purchasing entirely new fleets.
• Battery-electric buses provide zero tailpipe emissions and become increasingly cost-competitive over their life cycle, particularly for predictable routes with efficient charging infrastructure.
• Hydrogen buses are suitable for large airports with intensive duty cycles due to their greater range and faster refuelling, although they currently have the highest upfront and infrastructure costs.
• A TCO analysis based on a European hub airport indicates that retrofitted electric buses have the lowest TCO per kilometre, while hydrogen buses are the most expensive option.
• Driver salaries are the most significant cost component in the TCO analysis, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the TCO per kilometre for diesel fleets.
• The TCO for different technologies at a European international hub airport is calculated as: retrofitted electric at 3.20 /km, battery-electric at 3.35 /km, diesel at 3.71 /km, and hydrogen (off-site production) at 3.99 /km.
• Government subsidies are critical for the financial viability of zero-emission fleets; the TCO model assumes a 50% government subsidy on capital expenditure for electric and hydrogen options.
• Hydrogen infrastructure for ground operations currently relies on gaseous hydrogen, but future aviation needs will likely require a shift toward liquid hydrogen (LH2) production and handling.
• Other low-carbon alternatives like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and biomethane are noted as practical bridge technologies; Munich Airport's biomethane buses, for example, reduce particulate emissions by roughly 90% compared to Euro VI diesel buses.

APA

World Economic Forum (2025). Decarbonizing Aviation Ground Operations: Alternative Bus Technologies. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Decarbonizing_Aviation_Ground_Operations_2025.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Decarbonizing Aviation Ground Operations: Alternative Bus Technologies. 2025. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Decarbonizing_Aviation_Ground_Operations_2025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Decarbonizing Aviation Ground Operations: Alternative Bus Technologies |date=November 2025 |url=https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Decarbonizing_Aviation_Ground_Operations_2025.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2025decarbonizing, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Decarbonizing Aviation Ground Operations: Alternative Bus Technologies}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Decarbonizing_Aviation_Ground_Operations_2025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }