Target True Zero

The report evaluates three alternative propulsion technologies to achieve 'true zero' aviation. Battery-electric aircraft are projected to have a maximum operating range of 400 km by 2035, while hydrogen fuel cell aircraft could reach 4,000 km and hydrogen combustion aircraft could match the range of current jet engines. The analysis emphasizes that the total climate benefit depends on the energy source (e.g., green vs. blue hydrogen, renewable vs. grid electricity) and the management of non-CO2 effects like contrails. The report identifies eight 'technological unlocks'—including improved battery energy density, lighter cryogenic tanks, and clean-sheet aircraft designs—necessary to realize these potentials.

• Battery-electric aircraft are expected to have a maximum operating range of approximately 400 km by 2035, potentially increasing to 600 km by 2050, which could displace up to 5% of the aviation sector's current fossil fuel burn.
• Hydrogen fuel cell electric aircraft could achieve an operating range of 2,000 km by 2030 and potentially 4,000 km by 2035, offering the capacity to replace between 30% and 50% of current fossil fuel burn.
• Hydrogen combustion aircraft may be able to operate over the same distances as current jet-powered aircraft by 2035, making them a viable option for the longest-range flights and an alternative to sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).
• The life cycle climate impact of hydrogen-powered flight is heavily dependent on the production method; 'blue' hydrogen (natural gas with carbon capture) may have a climate impact similar to fossil jet fuel due to uncaptured CO2 and methane leaks, whereas 'green' hydrogen (electrolysis via renewables) removes this impact.
• Battery-electric aircraft risk increasing greenhouse gas emissions if charged from current world or European average grids; a 2030 European grid would only yield a 30% to 50% GHG reduction compared to over 85% if fully renewable electricity is used.
• Hydrogen combustion aircraft produce more than double the water vapour of jet fuel aircraft, and while their contrails may be thicker, longer, and form at lower altitudes, the exact climate impact remains uncertain due to a lack of experimental measurements.
• Battery production can represent up to 75% of the climate impact of the in-flight CO2 of an equivalent jet fuel aircraft if batteries are replaced every 500 cycles.
• Clean-sheet aircraft designs optimized for liquid hydrogen can avoid the energy-per-passenger penalties associated with retrofitting hydrogen tanks into jet-fuel aircraft frames, and advanced engine designs could further reduce in-flight energy requirements by 25% by 2035.

APA

World Economic Forum (2022). Target True Zero. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_Aviation_ROUND_2022.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Target True Zero. 2022. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_Aviation_ROUND_2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Target True Zero |date=July 2022 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_Aviation_ROUND_2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2022target, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Target True Zero}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_Aviation_ROUND_2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }