Chief commercial officer Christian Scherer set out the manufacturer’s ambitions during a financial call on Wednesday (18 December).

His comments came as Airbus unveiled its E-Fan X hybrid aircraft, building on its 2015 wholly battery-powered E-Fan 1.0.

Airbus says the breakthrough marks a “giant leap forward” for zero-emission flight. It hopes to fly the E-Fan X, which is co-developed with Rolls Royce, in 2021.

Scherer added Airbus’s first electric or hybrid aircraft could arrive in the 2030s, starting with a maximum 100-seat “regional aircraft”.

Airbus’s own zero-emission roadmap states: “Our goal is to make the technology available to fly a 100-passenger aircraft based on electric and hybrid-electric technology within the 2030s timeframe.”

By 2050, Airbus is targeting a 50% reduction in emissions.

Meanwhile, Air France-KLM on Wednesday firmed up its order for 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, while Airbus confirmed it has received orders for more than 450 A321XLR aircraft since its launch in June.