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

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

Key Takeaways:

A coalition of 15 companies developing electric, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen aircraft, and their supporting infrastructure, urged U.S. Secretaries Buttigieg and Granholm to prioritize their industries in the Biden administration's net-zero emissions plan.
The companies advocate for significant investment in future aircraft technology, stating it offers the primary long-term path to net-zero aviation, with commercial operations for short to long-haul flights expected as early as 2024.
They stressed the critical need for new infrastructure specific to zero-emission aircraft and highlighted that such investment would ensure U.S. leadership in aviation, create jobs, and match substantial commitments from other nations like the UK and EU.

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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.