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193 UN member states signed an agreement aiming for zero carbon emissions by 2050 on Friday 7 October. Some devices, like the electric plane, would bring the world population into a new era, but where are the advances of these prototypes?
It’s a revolution in silence and without CO2 emissions. In the sky of France, the electric plane is already flying. A two-seater from a Slovenian brand is currently the only one authorized to fly in Europe. 35 copies are rented to flying clubs for pilot training. Only flaw: its autonomy, with a maximum hour of flight. The plane costs 200,000 euros each, but a refill is ten times less expensive than a full tank of kerosene.
For intercontinental transport, the batteries are currently not powerful enough. Airbus engineers plan to create a “flying wing” powered by hydrogen. Its 120 meter long fuselage would be designed to accommodate tanks four times larger than today. This would also allow more space and activities for passengers on board. Indeed, during long flights, to go to the other side of the world, it would take 40 to 50 hours. But before flying with hydrogen, we will have to wait until at least 2035. Today, civil aviation emits 3% of CO2 of the world total.