Both companies plan to build hydrogen-powered aircraft turbines. For this purpose, they have established a joint venture that is scheduled to begin operations in 2027. Airbus is thus building on its plans announced 2020 to develop a zero-emission, hydrogen-powered aircraft – dubbed ZEROe – and bring it to market by 2035. However, the aircraft manufacturer postponed the project in 2025 without specifying a new target date for an H2 aircraft. Through the frame maker’s collaboration with partner MTU, the project is experiencing a renaissance.
The joint venture is driven by the partners’ shared ambition to achieve global technological leadership in this field and provide the first hydrogen-based fuel cell propulsion system to a commercial aircraft. The foundation for this was laid at the 2025 Paris Air Show, where the companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU outlined the company’s ambitions to pool Airbus’ extensive commercial aircraft program knowledge, significant fuel cell propulsion and liquid hydrogen expertise with MTU’s multi-year fuel cell technology development and its recognized engine design, integration, validation and certification as well as maintenance expertise.
FFC will become a trailblazer also for long-haul flights
For years, MTU has been a leader in developing propulsion concepts to reduce the climate impact of greenhouse gas emissions in commercial aviation. Their Flying Fuel Cell (FFC) was initially set to be deployed on short-haul routes in regional air traffic. However, as its efficiency improves, the FFC will expand to short- and medium-haul ranges within the next two decades.
The FFC does not produce any emissions of CO2 or NOx or particulates – its sole emission is water. Aircraft emissions of NOx have a relatively strong effect on the production of ozone (O3), a critical greenhouse gas. One potential option is to reduce flight altitudes of commercial aircraft – or H2 powered jetliners as now intended by Airbus and Aero Engines. This is confirmed by Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programs at Airbus:
“Our planned joint venture is the next logical step in our shared vision of a hydrogen-based propulsion concept for aviation. By pooling our respective technology and expertise into a dedicated entity, we are establishing a European powerhouse capable of transforming advanced research into industrialized, certifiable electric propulsion systems. This new company will help secure strategic sovereignty in the next generation of aviation technologies while strengthening our ability to achieve the long-term ZEROe ambition,” the executive states.
On way to carbon neutral aviation
Both partner’s overarching aim is to pave the way for a newly developed, safe, reliable and economical propulsion system that will contribute to climate-neutral aviation. “This project is a crucial milestone on our path to the first hydrogen-powered engine – and this is true European technology leadership. To that end, we want to create a company that covers the entire life cycle of fuel cell powertrains – from development and testing through certification to commercialization,” remarked Stefan Weber, SVP Engineering and Technology at MTU Aero Engines.
Beyond the engine technologies, Airbus and MTU will continue to foster the emergence of a hydrogen aviation economy and the associated regulatory framework, which are also critical enablers to the advent of hydrogen-powered flight at scale.
