Report: Airbus Has Spent $1.7B on Stalled Hydrogen Ambitions
Manufacturer in February scaled back development of a hydrogen-powered aircraft, which it said may arrive a decade later than its original 2035 target.
Airbus in March revealed this concept image for a hydrogen fuel cell-powered ‘ZeroE’ aircraft. [Courtesy: Airbus]
Key Takeaways:
Airbus has significantly scaled back and delayed its "ZeroE" hydrogen-powered aircraft program, shifting the original 2035 target for a zero-emission aircraft, possibly by a decade.
The manufacturer has invested over $1.7 billion in the project but cites the slow development of the global "hydrogen economy" and ecosystem as well as challenges with fuel cell scalability for the slowdown.
Airbus has reduced the scope of its ambition, moving from concepts capable of carrying many passengers over long distances to a smaller hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft for up to 100 passengers over 1,000 nm.
Updated Thursday, April 24 at 4:40 p.m. EDT with comment from an Airbus spokesperson.
Airbus has pumped the brakes on its development of a hydrogen-powered aircraft concept. On Sunday, new details emerged about just how much the manufacturer has spent on the stalled project.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
