Airbus has acknowledged that its plans to bring hydrogen-powered airliners into commercial service will not be achieved by the 2035 target date set when the company announced the ZeroE project in September 2020. On February 7, the European aerospace group confirmed that the work is taking longer than expected but did not specify an adjusted timeline.

According to reports by French news agency AFP, Airbus told officials at the Force Ouvrière trade union that the objective could take five to 10 years longer than first anticipated. The union also claimed that the ZeroE research and development budget has been cut by 25%, bringing into question whether plans to fly a hydrogen technology demonstrator engine on an A380 testbed will be achieved, as previously announced.

However, Airbus has denied suggestions that it may be deprioritizing hydrogen propulsion as part of its wider decarbonization strategy for air transport. A spokesperson told reporters that the group remains committed to the goal “of bringing a commercially viable, hydrogen-powered aircraft to market.”

The shift in Airbus’ anticipated timeline for enabling a move towards hydrogen is clearly rooted in acceptance of the challenges that go beyond the core task of integrating the propulsion technology with new aircraft designs. “We recognize that developing a hydrogen ecosystem, including infrastructure, production, distribution and the regulatory frameworks, is a huge challenge requiring global collaboration and investment,” the company said. “Recent developments indicate that progress on key enablers, particularly the availability of hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources at scale and the maturity of certain aircraft technologies, is slower than previously anticipated. While hydrogen is anticipated to play a growing role in the second half of this century, its contribution to 2050 decarbonization targets will complement other solutions particularly sustainable aviation fuel [SAF], which remains critical for medium- and long-range flights.”

Fresh Approach to Decarbonization

In an update to the “Destination 2050—A Route to Net Zero European Aviation” report, air transport industry groups called on the European Commission to re-calibrate its aviation strategy to emphasize economic growth and competitiveness in tandem with pushing for decarbonization, with detailed demands around issues such as the cost and availability of SAF. The report, which was jointly prepared by Airlines for Europe, the Airports Council International, air navigation services group CANSO, and the European Regions Airline Association, included a call for increased European Union (EU) support to develop infrastructure needed to support the availability of hydrogen fuel for air transport.

According to the groups’ updated assessment of four main “pillars” for achieving the industry’s net-zero carbon target by 2050, more than half (56%) will come from alternative fuels and sustainable energy, followed by new aircraft and engine technology (27%), economic measures (12 %), including ICAO’s CORSIA program, and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, and improvements to air traffic management and aircraft operations (6%).

Notably, the updated report highlights, just 6 % of the emissions reductions coming directly from new hydrogen technology and fuel, which is markedly lower than the projection included in the earlier 2021 version of the report. By comparison, it expects just over three times as much, 19%, to come from reductions in demand for air travel.

“Now, more than ever, time is of the essence,” the groups said in the report’s preface. “The next five years are pivotal, offering a narrow, critical window to put in place the policies to achieve Europe’s 2050 climate goals. Our actions now will define our future.”

Airbus Has Championed Hydrogen

With Boeing having shown little interest in pursuing hydrogen technology as a path to decarbonizing commercial airliners, Airbus has been the main champion of work in this approach, with the ZeroE program focused on developing a 200-passenger aircraft with a projected range of 2,000 nm. The company has been assessing several designs and in 2022 launched a partnership with engine manufacturer CFM International to prepare to start hydrogen propulsion flight tests with a modified GE Passport engine on an A380 airliner before the end of 2026.

Multiple companies have been involved with Airbus’ efforts to advance the hydrogen fuel ecosystem, including Air Liquide and airport operator Vinci Airports. Liebherr-Aerospace has invested in developing an air supply system for a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion concept, and H3 Dynamics has developed a fuel cell to be integrated with auxiliary power systems. In October 2024, Airbus and Japan’s Toshiba announced a joint project to develop a superconducting electric motor that would be part of a hydrogen-based powertrain.

In January, Pratt & Whitney reported progress in the development of its Hydrogen, Steam Injected, Inter-cooled Turbine Engine architecture. While the U.S. engines maker does not expect the technology to be commercially available until about 2050, it said that proving its feasibility is important to support the significant infrastructure investments needed to make liquid hydrogen power viable. It has been conducting rig tests with a demonstrator at the RTX Technology Research Center in East Hartford, Connecticut.

In tandem with these initiatives, several smaller companies are focused on efforts to power regional airliners with hydrogen. ZeroAvia is focused on converting existing 20-seat aircraft with its fuel cell technology, while Cranfield Aerospace Solutions wants to convert the smaller Britten-Norman Islander aircraft.

H2Fly, which is owned by eVTOL aircraft developer Joby Aviation, has ambitions to scale up its hydrogen propulsion system to support aircraft with up to 100 seats in the longer term. In September 2023, it achieved an important breakthrough when it demonstrated its cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage capability by flying the HY4 technology demonstrator aircraft in Slovenia.

Airbus’ acknowledgment of a slower path towards hydrogen-powered air transport, came just over a week after the group said it is pausing plans to bring its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft to market. The group said it is rethinking both the business case and technology requirements, indicating that it does not think current battery technology is sufficient to support a commercially viable all-electric aircraft.