Airbus is delaying plans to develop commercial hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035, blaming slower-than-expected technological advancements and infrastructure struggles.
The aircraft maker announced its ZEROe hydrogen programme in 2020 when it revealed three concept designs. It also revealed plans to test different types of hydrogen propulsion and fuel storage systems on a modified A-380.
Championed by CEO Guillaume Faury, the company intended to bring a commercial aircraft into service by 2035.
Airbus has not said when the target has been pushed back to; however, Force Ouvriere union said that staff have been informed that the necessary technology for commercial hydrogen flight is lagging five to 10 years behind schedule to meet the 2035 target.
“Hydrogen has the potential to be a transformative energy source for aviation,” the company said in a statement.
“However, we recognise that developing a hydrogen ecosystem – including infrastructure, production, distribution and regulatory frameworks – is a huge challenge requiring global collaboration and investment.”
During the past five years, a growing number of companies have emerged and pursued the development of hydrogen powertrains for aircraft, the pursuit is yet to see commercial success.
A key example was the US hydrogen aviator Universal Hydrogen, which had completed several test flights of a converted regional airliner with a hydrogen fuel cell engine equipped to one wing.
In 2024, the firm went bust after it could not find further financing to continue operations or the ability to sell the business, despite reporting over $1bn in backlog orders.
Read more:Universal Hydrogen’s hopes grounded: company collapses amid financial woes
UH2’s former chief technology officer (CTO) had acknowledged to H2 View that hydrogen has a “niche” operating range.
Instead, more aviation players have been focusing on sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), which can be produced from green hydrogen, thanks to their drop-in compatibility with existing aircraft and infrastructure, as well as usage mandates in various regions.
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