Transport

^{Sub-challenge 1}

^‍Road

‍

Today, road transportation is responsible for approximately 70% of all transportation-related emissions, with passenger cars accounting for half of that. Electrifying the global fleet of cars would be a significant accomplishment, and progress is already well underway, with 18% of newly sold passenger cars in 2023 being electric vehicles (EVs).* Many of the cost and engineering challenges have already been overcome. However, there are still some technological obstacles to address, such as expanding charging infrastructure, enhancing battery safety, increasing battery recycling rates, and reducing the usage of rare earth materials in batteries. Electrifying heavy-duty trucks will be more challenging compared to passenger vehicles. They are heavier, require more energy, cover more distance, and are currently more expensive. Nevertheless, innovation is also taking place in this area, with electric buses accounting for 4.5% of all bus sales and electric trucks accounting for 1.2% of global truck sales.*

₀₁ Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure

The shift to electric vehicles, including cars, trucks and motorcycles, is crucial for slashing GHG emissions from road transport. Enhanced battery technologies and expanding charging infrastructure have made EVs increasingly practical and effective in tackling road transportation emissions. Today, electric motors are only 50% efficient and this presents the single biggest lever for improving the range of electric vehicles in the future. 
<div class="funds-slider-1"></div>

₀₂ Batteries

To address the environmental and human rights concerns currently associated with mining minerals for (EV) batteries, while scaling the increasing battery production to enable the electrification of transportation, innovative approaches are needed. These include developing new technologies for more efficient and less harmful mineral extraction, recycling batteries, battery inspection and exploring alternative battery designs.
<div class="funds-slider-2"></div>

₀₃ Shared mobility and public transportation

Given that the batteries of electric vehicles consist of a lot of metals, like lithium and cobalt, which are often obtained through mining practices that contribute to GHG emissions and chemical pollution, it’s still incredibly important to share vehicles as much as we can, shifting people’s journeys to public transportation and other travel to more sustainable modes.
<div class="funds-slider-3"></div>

ㅤ

^{Sub-challenge 2}

Aviation

‍

Electrifying planes is much harder than electrifying cars. Why? The sheer power and energy airplanes use are orders of magnitude greater than EVs, where the weight and power requirements of the batteries can’t keep up. The good news is, aviation is changing. A higher percentage of flights are short, which means more flights can be electrified, hydrogen-powered, or even better, be displaced by road or rail. This is especially the case for cargo fleets and regional passenger travel. But, considering that (long-distance) air transport is expected to grow significantly*, innovative solutions beyond traditional batteries are crucial for the full decarbonization of this sector.

₀₁ Synthetic aviation fuel

Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are gaining traction as the most viable options for decarbonizing the long-distance aviation industry. This is because they have a high energy density and can leverage existing infrastructure, requiring minimal retrofitting of airports and airplanes. There are two types of SAF that can be used to decarbonize aviation: biobased SAF, produced from biomass such as agricultural waste and cooking oil, and e-SAF, derived from green hydrogen and captured CO2.
<div class="funds-slider-4"></div>

₀₂ Hydrogen-based aviation

Smaller planes with hydrogen fuel cells are currently making their first test flights and this could help pave the way for more powerful hydrogen technologies, including potentially large jets with combustion engines that burn liquid renewable hydrogen. To make this a reality, advancing the storage technology (which is notoriously difficult for hydrogen) and rapidly building out hydrogen infrastructure is essential. 

₀₃ Electric aviation

A new generation of more efficient and lightweight batteries have enabled the electrification of short-distance flights, especially cargo fleets and regional passenger travel. These electric planes already exist today, with flying ranges up to 400 miles*, but widespread adoption is not yet possible without expanded infrastructure and new regulations. Longer trips (say, Amsterdam to New York) will almost certainly require a breakthrough in battery chemistry.

ㅤ

^{Sub-challenge 3}

Shipping

‍

Shipping, responsible for 2% of GHG emissions, faces hurdles in decarbonization similar to those in aviation. The sector’s high energy requirements for long-distance maritime travel make conventional battery solutions inefficient. This limitation is especially challenging for heavy and long-haul vessels. However, there is growing potential for alternative solutions like hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia and methanol, as well as carbon capture technologies. But because these solutions are either nascent or have not yet had commercial breakthroughs, additional research and investment will be necessary to meet our climate goals.

₀₁ Electrification

Although their lower energy density limits their use in long-distance shipping, the application of batteries is starting to play an important role in decarbonizing short-range and near-shore maritime transport, including domestic sea routes and fishing fleets.
<div class="funds-slider-5"></div>

₀₂ Wind energy at sea

A number of companies are bringing back sails to ships. This old-fashioned way to power ships is fully green and doesn’t require any energy storage. Unlike the olden days, modern sails are often complementary to engines. Still, they have the potential to reduce 30% of fuel use, and thus CO2 emissions.

₀₃ Zero-emission fuels

Transitioning the heavy and long-haul vessels will require a new generation of zero-emission fuels (ZEFs), which can be either renewable hydrogen itself if we figure out how to store it well, or hydrogen derivatives that are easier to move around. Two candidates are green ammonia and green methanol.
<div class="funds-slider-6"></div>

₀₄ Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)

Not only fossil fuels but also e-methanol and synthetic fuels made with renewable electricity may still release some carbon dioxide when combusted. So to get to net-zero emissions, these fuels will also need to be captured using cutting-edge technologies that capture CO2 from a vessel’s exhaust.
<div class="funds-slider-7"></div>

‍