While sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is largely agreed to be the short-term solution for decarbonising aviation, hydrogen has long been hailed as the best long-term saviour of the industry. Besides the challenges of ensuring that hydrogen is produced from renewable energy sources to ensure its beneficial impact, developing aircraft compatible with the alternative fuel has proven to be harder than previously expected.
Airbus has been working on a hydrogen-powered plane, likely a 100-seat turboprop, for several years, its hydrogen project, called ZEROe, having received public funding and wide industry-support throughout its stages. Initially using an A380 as a testbed for direct combustion engines fuelled by hydrogen, the company announced in May 2024 the development of a new demonstrator, Cryoprop, to accelerate the maturation of superconducting technologies for use in electric propulsion systems of a future hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Despite progress going seemingly well, the European airspace giant has now announced it is postponing its ambitious plans to develop a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft, originally set for a mid-2030s launch, citing slower-than-expected technological advancements as the primary reason for the delay.
“Hydrogen has the potential to be a transformative energy source for aviation,” Airbus said in a statement. “However, we recognize that developing a hydrogen ecosystem—including infrastructure, production, distribution and regulatory frameworks—is a huge challenge requiring global collaboration and investment.”
The company has not provided a revised timeline for the project, however the Force Ouvriere union disclosed that Airbus staff had been informed of a potential five to ten-year delay due to the technology lagging behind the pace necessary to meet the original 2035 target. This means that the development of a hydrogen-powered aircraft could be pushed into the 2040s.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has consistently championed hydrogen as a crucial element in the long-term decarbonisation of aviation. His stance contrasts with that of rival Boeing, which has taken a more cautious approach, citing concerns over safety and technical readiness.
Moreover, despite hydrogen’s potential, some environmental groups argue that its production remains energy-intensive and not entirely carbon-free. They stress that a shift to hydrogen must be accompanied by significant advancements in renewable energy to make it a truly sustainable solution.
The decision to put the hydrogen initiative, known as ZEROe, on hold comes shortly after Airbus Helicopters scrapped its plans for the CityAirbus NextGen – an electric take-ff and landing vehicle (eVTOL), sometimes also called an air taxi – less than one year after unveiling it, due to uncertainties surrounding battery technology.
