Electric vehicles have seen remarkable growth over the past decade and are now commonplace on many streets. Two companies, Capgemini and Ascendance, are hoping to build upon that evolution by taking it to the skies.
The companies recently announced that they're extending a partnership designed to kick-start sustainable air travel — with a test flight set for this year.
Air travel is a major culprit when it comes to climate change. One study found that commercial airplanes accounted for nearly 2.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and another estimated that the industry is responsible for about 5% of global warming.
In many cases, flying is more damaging to the environment than a similar trip made by car. This is particularly true for private flights, as the emissions from one four-hour trip in a private jet can equal those emitted by the average European citizen in a year.
That's why Capgemini and Ascendance are laser-focused on making air travel more sustainable.
"Together, we will contribute to making sustainable aviation more accessible, leveraging innovations that will reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation sector while offering new possibilities for the mobility of tomorrow," Ascendance co-founder and CEO Jean-Christophe Lambert said.
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Two of Ascendance's products are key to this endeavor. First is STERNA, a system that allows multiple energy sources to be used simultaneously, much like in a hybrid vehicle. Next is ATEA, an aircraft that uses the STERNA system.
ATEA uses vertical takeoff and landing technology, making it a possible alternative to helicopters. Ascendance hopes to have a test flight for the ATEA aircraft later in 2025 and aims for it to be commercially certified in 2028.
The company claims that ATEA can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional aircraft and that STERNA could cause a 25% reduction when added to existing aircraft. Ascendance said its goal is to help "aviation to reach carbon neutrality by 2050."
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Capgemini, meanwhile, works with many companies to help provide technology, strategy, and engineering solutions. As EV Magazine noted, the partnership is similar to how some well-known automakers have helped EV startups ramp up their production and operations.
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