In a move towards sustainable aviation, ZeroAvia, a US-based manufacturer of hydrogen-electric aircraft engines, has joined forces with Ecojet, a British airline committed to achieving carbon neutrality. The deal marks a significant step in the race towards zero-emission flights and underscores the industry’s commitment to environmental responsibility. The collaboration is backed by green technology financier MONTE.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ecojet is set to acquire up to 70 engines from ZeroAvia, including the ZA600, tailored for 19-seat regional aircraft, and the ZA2000, designed for 80-seat regional turboprop aircraft. The deal follows ZeroAvia’s successful completion of several test flights earlier this year, using a prototype of the ZA600 engine on a Dornier 228 aircraft. The company is also actively advancing its core technologies to accommodate larger aircraft in the near future.
Ecojet’s founder, Dale Vince, sees the agreement with ZeroAvia as a milestone for the aviation industry and the environment, emphasizing the feasibility of zero-emission flights and positioning the collaboration as a demonstration of aligning a green lifestyle with net-zero targets without compromising air travel.
Based in Edinburgh, the airline aims to begin services in 2024, at the beginning powering its plane with conventional fuel, but plans to install the ZA600 engines as of 2025, followed by the ZA2000 engines in 2027.
Moving forward, ZeroAvia, MONTE and Ecojet plan to collaborate with local airports to establish the first routes for hydrogen-electric commercial flights in the UK and beyond. The trio also intends to engage with regulators and policymakers to advocate for the adoption of hydrogen as a sustainable aviation fuel.
Contributing to the aviation industry’s pursuit of net-zero carbon emissions by retrofitting existing aircraft with zero-emission technology, ZeroAvia has also recently partnered with Alaska Airlines to retrofit a Bombardier Q400 regional turboprop with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system.
