The EU is aiming for 20,000 hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2050

Brussels – The European Union aims to have 20,000 hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2050. To this end, it will support an action plan. This was stated today (20 April) by European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, at the General Assembly of the Alliance for Zero Emissions in Aviation (AZEA), an industry alliance established by the European Commission in 2022 to encourage greater cooperation within the sector. In this context, AZEA presented its roadmap which identifies the necessary actions, in both the short and long term, to introduce electric and hydrogen-powered flights in Europe, ranging from the development, certification, and market introduction of hybrid, battery-electric and hydrogen-powered aviation technology, to the sector’s adaptation to these new types of technologies and aircraft, and the preparation of the development path beyond the middle of the century. 

For Kubilius, however, the issue also directly affects the European Union’s dependencies and its strategic autonomy. “Over the past 120 years, air transport has made ‘giant strides’, but one thing has never changed: fuel. Fossil fuel,” he emphasised, recalling that last week Fatih Birol, Director of the International Energy Agency, explained that “Europe has enough aviation fuel for just six weeks”, leading to price rises and flight cancellations. 

Instead, “if we switch to electric or hydrogen: no dependence on rogue states such as Russia or Iran. We will no longer be held hostage by sudden global crises,” Kubilius emphasised. Furthermore, “like all other innovations in the aviation sector, this too will have military applications,” he continued, noting that “the Danish and British air forces are already successfully testing small electric aircraft” and that “the drones used in Ukraine are already battery-powered”, whilst “long-range hybrid drones are being developed, capable of switching to battery power.” 

According to Kubilius, AZEA’s roadmap is heading “towards a revolution in the skies” and “is a clear and ambitious goal: 20,000 hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2050.” In the Commissioner’s view, this is not “merely a technological revolution, but also an infrastructural one.” A revolution in which the EU wishes to play a part. “Our civil aviation industry is a fundamental asset for our defence, a driver of European competitiveness. That is why we must support it: by securing the supply of critical raw materials such as aluminium and titanium,” he specified. And, in this context, “by the end of the year we will present an Aviation Strategy to help meet your needs” as highlighted by AZEA.