At the Airbus Summit, an online event focused on aviation sustainability, the aircraft manufacturer provided an update on its hydrogen strategy and introduced a new concept featuring four electric motors, each powered by a fuel cell.

For those still uncertain about its commitment, “Hydrogen is at the heart of our strategy to decarbonise aviation,”reaffirmed Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus, during the conference. He emphasised that while the roadmap has been refined, Airbus remains fully committed to hydrogen-powered flight. As CEO Guillaume Faury had already indicated on 20 February, the company now sees fuel cells as the most promising pathway for hydrogen aviation after years of research.

Airbus believes hydrogen-powered aircraft “have the potential, in the long term, to transform air travel for the better, complementing the role of sustainable aviation fuels.”

A New Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Concept

The Airbus Summit provided a platform to discuss a next-generation single-aisle aircraft that could enter service in the latter half of the 2030s. Still in the conceptual phase, this aircraft would be powered by four 2-megawatt electric motors, each driven by a fuel cell system that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. The system would be supplied by two liquid hydrogen tanks.

“In the coming years, our focus will be on advancing storage, distribution, and propulsion systems while advocating for the regulatory framework necessary to bring these aircraft into operation,” added Glenn Llewellyn, ZEROe Project Manager at Airbus.

Are you a LinkedIn user who would like to follow the latest hydrogen news on a more regular basis? Then our LinkedIn weekly newsletter may be what you’re looking for. You can subscribe to it here. 

PS: You can sign up to our newsletters to follow the latest hydrogen news on a more regular basis:
– “Your hydrogen news live” (to receive all our articles as soon as they are published)
– “Your weekly newsletter” (sent every Monday morning).