Airbus Reaffirms Commitment to Hydrogen-Powered Flight

In a bold step towards decarbonizing aviation, Airbus reaffirmed its plan to develop commercially available hydrogen-powered aircraft. At the 2025 Airbus Summit, the aerospace behemoth announced that, following extensive research of the different hydrogen propulsion technologies, it has chosen hydrogen fuel cell technology as the mainstream power source for its future aircraft.

This is in response to Airbus postponing its ambitious plan to roll out a hydrogen-powered plane by 2035. The postponement, caused by slower-than-anticipated development of hydrogen infrastructure and technology, has not shaken the company's long-term commitment. Rather, Airbus is doubling down on its research and development work to make hydrogen-powered flying a reality.

Airbus Head of Future Programmes, Bruno Fichefeux, highlighted the organization's firm stance on hydrogen as it continues to be at the heart of the decarbonisation of aviation. He pointed out that although Airbus has modified its roadmap, there is no question about the power of all-electric aircraft supported by hydrogen fuel cells. Drawing parallels to the automotive sector, he pointed out that hydrogen-powered propulsion could revolutionize air travel in the long run, complementing other sustainability initiatives such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Aviation is responsible for approximately 2-3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure that could rise significantly in the coming decades if industry players fail to implement effective decarbonization measures. To offset this effect, a range of measures are being explored, including improving the efficiency of aircraft, the production of SAF, and investigating low or zero-carbon propulsion solutions. Electrified propulsion and SAF are presently viewed as more short-term fixes, but hydrogen is generally regarded as a long-term solution because it has high energy density and is potentially carbon-free to produce.

Airbus initially revealed its zero-emission commercial aircraft vision in 2020 by unveiling its ZEROe program. Since then, the company has been researching several hydrogen propulsion technologies, with the main areas of exploration being hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cells. Although it has not completely discounted further investment in hydrogen combustion, Airbus has selected hydrogen fuel cell technology as the basis for its future aircraft. This choice comes after lengthy prototype and powertrain testing and examination of complementary technologies like cryogenics, which have confirmed the viability of fuel cell-powered flight.

The new Airbus plane will have an electric propeller drive powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The fuel cells produce electricity by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, and the only byproduct is water. The plane will have four 2-megawatt electric propulsion motors, each powered by a dedicated fuel cell system and fed by liquid hydrogen tanks.

Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus Head of the ZEROe Project, highlighted the exhaustive assessment process the company went through in choosing hydrogen fuel cell technology. In the last five years, Airbus has considered several different concepts for hydrogen propulsion before the final adoption of this pure electric solution. He assured that the technology would deliver the power density needed for commercial aviation and emphasized that more progress will be achieved as research continues. Over the next few years, Airbus will continue to develop the hydrogen storage, delivery, and propulsion systems while collaborating in close partnership with regulators to build a regulatory environment that will allow hydrogen-powered aircraft to enter commercial service.

The way to hydrogen flight is still tricky, especially given the underdevelopment of hydrogen infrastructure and the investments required in the production, storage, and delivery of hydrogen. Yet Airbus's ongoing commitment to hydrogen flight is a major stride toward making flying greener. If it pays off, hydrogen fuel cell technology can provide an alternative to traditional jet fuel that can make sustainable air travel possible in a new generation.

Even with the delays, Airbus' recent announcement confirms its position as a leader in sustainable aviation and sends a message to the industry that hydrogen is still an integral part of the future of flight. As hydrogen technology progresses and governments provide regulatory backing, the concept of zero-emission commercial aircraft may become more than just a prospect, radically changing the aviation industry in the decades ahead.