Session: 01-03 Advanced Engine Components and Future Propulsion Systems

Paper Number: 191750

191750 - Assessing Multiple Impacts Across the Life Cycle of Innovative Powertrain Architectures for Urban Air Mobility 

Abstract: 

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is emerging as a viable solution to address future mobility needs, particularly in highly crowded and congested urban areas where conventional transport infrastructures are increasingly saturated. Nevertheless, in order to ensure consistency with European Union (EU) sustainability targets, it is essential to systematically investigate and identify the most suitable propulsion architectures for this new and rapidly evolving sector. Environmental performance must be assessed not only in terms of direct emissions, but across the entire life cycle of the systems involved.

This study performs a multi-impact life cycle assessment (LCA) of different sustainable powertrain architectures for UAM applications. Several drone configurations are consistently sized to satisfy comparable mission requirements and are evaluated across key environmental impact categories under both current and projected EU energy scenarios. The analysis accounts for raw material extraction, component manufacturing, energy and fuel production pathways, operational use, and end-of-life stages. Hybrid-electric, full-electric, and hydrogen-based configurations are investigated, including the use of synthetic fuels within internal combustion architectures.

The results indicate that synthetic e-fuels have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions—by approximately 60–80% compared with conventional fossil-based solutions—thus contributing to sector decarbonization. However, they exhibit poorer performance in other environmental impact categories. Overall, green hydrogen fuel cell systems demonstrate the best performance in four out of the five considered impact categories. These findings support the informed development and design of low-impact UAM solutions aligned with EU sustainability objectives.

Presenting Author: Vittorio Ravaglioli University of Bologna

Presenting Author Biography: Vittorio Ravaglioli is an Associate Professor at the University of Bologna. He received his MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Machines and Energy Systems from the University of Bologna. He joined the University as an Assistant Professor in 2016 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. His research activities focus on the modelling, control, and experimental testing of internal combustion engines and hybrid power systems. He is the author of more than 80 papers published in international journals and conference proceedings and serves as scientific coordinator for national research projects as well as industry-funded research contracts with companies developing innovative propulsion systems. He teaches courses on turbomachinery, power systems, and powertrains.

Authors:

Pier Paolo Brancaleoni University of Parma
Vittorio Ravaglioli University of Bologna
Enrico Corti University of Bologna
Giacomo Silvagni University of Bologna