Industry Consortium Lobbies for More Federal Sustainable Aviation Investment

In a letter to DOT and DOE leadership, eVTOL startups, aerospace giants and others made the case for increased government funding.

Jonathan Welsh

Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 06:03 PM ET

Verified

Manufacturers see eVTOL infrastructure and networks developing faster with more federal funding. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A coalition of 15 companies specializing in electric, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen aircraft, along with supporting infrastructure, urged U.S. Secretaries Buttigieg and Granholm to prioritize investment in their industries.
They argue that these zero-emission aviation technologies, set to begin commercial operations as early as 2024, offer the best long-term path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, complementing sustainable aviation fuels.
The companies stressed the need for new infrastructure for these aircraft and warned that without investment, the U.S. risks losing its global aviation leadership as other nations heavily fund similar technologies, also missing out on job creation.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A group of 15 companies developing electric, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen-powered aircraft—and the infrastructure necessary to support them—have asked the U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to focus more on their industries as part of the Biden administration’s broad plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The companies—including Airbus, Ampaire, Archer Aviation, BETA Technologies, Bye Aerospace, Eve Air Mobility, Joby Aviation, Lilium, Overair, Signature Flight Support, Skyports, Supernal LLC, Vertical Aerospace, Wisk Aero, and ZeroAvia—say that while sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are “an immediate solution to decarbonize the sector,” it is vital to also invest in future aircraft technology.