Beyond Aero has introduced a battery-free hydrogen-electric jet concept, featuring an upgraded fuel cell stack with a 2.4MW capacity.
Since unveiling the initial concept in 2023, the French aviator has refined the BYA-1 with a clean-sheet design optimised for gaseous hydrogen, to enhance safety, efficiency and certification readiness.
The updated concept integrates 700-bar fuel tanks above the wing box to “improve crashworthiness,” eliminating high-pressure fuel lines in the pressurised cabin.
Unlike most hydrogen-electric systems that rely on batteries to handle power surges, Beyond Aero’s battery-free fuel cell system is designed to provide constant power, eliminating the need for a hybrid setup. Traditional fuel cells struggle with varying power demands, requiring batteries for peak loads, regenerative braking, and cold starts.
By optimising its 2.4MW fuel cell stack, Beyond Aero removes this dependency, simplifying the powertrain and reducing maintenance complexity.
Aerial view BYA © Beyond Aero
Beyond Aero has stated the new design could result in 55% lower operational costs than conventional jets and 65% cheaper fuel costs compared to power-to-liquid sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) by 2025 and 17% vs Jet A-1 by 2030.
Instead of using propellers, the jet will utilise electric ducted fans (EDF), similar to conventional jet engines. Furthermore, its simplified, all-electric powertrain has 90% fewer moving parts compared to turbine-based propulsion, drastically cutting maintenance complexity.
An expert advisory committee, including former executives from Airbus, HondaJet, and EASA, has validated the BYA-1’s technical viability and certification readiness.
Stéphane Mayer, former CEO of EADS Socata, ATR, Daher, and Nexter, praised it as a “perfect mix of traditional design and innovation,” making it well-suited for the European market.
Erik Carlson, former HondaJet Technical Director, described the latest version as “significantly more mature,” commending the team’s work in refining multiple configurations to create a “beautiful aircraft.”
However, hydrogen aviation still faces major hurdles, from low energy density limiting passenger capacity to complex logistics for production and airport supply.
While infrastructure and engine challenges may be overcome, high costs and the industry’s cautious approach cast doubt on hydrogen’s viability for both short and long-haul flights, a hydrogen industry expert has warned to H2 View.
German aviator Apus Zero recently entered administration, while Airbus delayed its hydrogen aircraft plans beyond 2035, citing slow technological progress and infrastructure challenges.
