How have planes become more energy efficient?

Enhanced fuel efficiency is achieved through improved aerodynamics, weight reduction, and the integration of more efficient engines. The aviation industry has achieved significant advances to improve the fuel efficiency of modern aircraft in this era of sustainable engineering and fluctuating petroleum prices.



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For example, a study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute states the energy intensity of car transportation is on average 57% higher than air transports. In other words, a car emits more CO2 than the average planes because they consume more energy to transport the same amount of passengers.

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In 2012, the most recent year counted, driving one person one mile took 4,211 BTUs, while flying required just 2,033. The numbers for driving are based on the average fuel economy of all light-duty vehicles (that's passenger cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans, which averaged 21.6 mpg), using data from the US DOT.

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Ships are many times more efficient than cars or airplanes. Efficiency is often measured in gallons consumed to move a ton one mile or similar metrics like Joules per kilogram. In the diagram below, the closer the mode of transportation gets to the top, the worst the efficiency is.

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Hyperloops, supersonic jets and electric aircraft: Here's what transport could look like by 2050. E-bikes, scooters and now even cargo bikes are also helping travelers, commuters, and delivery drivers cover shorter distances in urban areas without needing a fossil fuel-powered vehicle.

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Simply add the strength of the headwind (30 mph) to your best glide speed (78 mph) and you've got the most efficient speed to fly—here, 108 mph. To determine an airplane's Carson speed, multiply its best glide speed by 1.32. This will get the best result in terms of true airspeed and fuel consumption.

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If you consider efficiency from an environmental point of view and define it as CO2 emissions per passenger per km, then the train is way more efficient than the plane.

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Comparing greenhouse gas emissions Essentially, one long flight releases the equivalent of nearly 14 percent of the annual emissions from your car. The same route, when driven, will result in the release of 1.26 tons of carbon emissions.

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