Airbus is putting the brakes on its zero-emission hydrogen-powered aircraft project, on account of technical challenges and slower adoption of the technology, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The company, which previously targeted to launch the aircraft by 2035, spent more than $1.7B on the project, sources told WSJ. Airbus has since cut the project's budget by a quarter and reallocated staff, pushing its timeline by as much as a decade.
Project challenges include reconfiguring engines to run on a different fuel, storing hydrogen in liquid form at -423°F, and requiring a new supply chain for the fuel. Airbus has been exploring using fuel cells, but the additional weight and limited electricity generation would lead to fewer seats and a narrower range for the aircraft.
The company said delaying the project would give it more time to fine-tune the technology. "Our destination is not changing," said Bruno Fichefeux, its head of future programs. "To get there, we need to adjust to reality."
In an earnings call in February, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said pushing the project's timeline would provide time to further develop the performance of fuel cell propulsion and liquid hydrogen system technologies.
Many companies have been scaling back their green initiatives, and broader enthusiasm for hydrogen is fading. Oil giant BP, which is pivoting back to fossil fuels, and Finland's Neste recently pulled plans for new hydrogen plants.
Subscribe to the newsletter
Daily decarbonization data and news delivered to your inbox
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Companies
Latest issues
-
This DAC Fix Just Made Carbon Removal 3x Cheaper
Inside This Issue ✈️ How Google Is Scaling SAF Demand Through Shell, Amex GBT 💸 Sora Fuel Closes $14.6M Round To Scale Air-To-Jet Fuel Technology 📊 CCUS Investment Tops $5 Billion, But The IEA Say...
-
Hydrogen Just Powered a 7.5-Tonne Plane. A World First.
Inside This Issue ✈️ Megawatt Hydrogen Turboprop Engine Completes Maiden Flight in Central China 🤝 XCF Global and Axens North America Announce Commercial Collaboration for Vegan(r) Technology 🔌 Ma...
-
60 Hydrogen Projects Died. Here's What Survived.
Inside This Issue ⚠️ Hydrogen's 4.9M-Tonne Shakeout: What's Still Being Built ⚡ Emerson and Strategic Biofuels to Deliver Renewable Carbon-Neutral Power to Louisiana 🔋 Plug Power Selected to Suppl...
Company Announcements
-
Cowboy Clean Fuels And Absolute Climate Raise The Bar For High-Integrity Carbon Removal
The partnership brings ACS‑certified carbon removal credits to market through Evident’s C‑Capsule registry, giving buyers unprecedented transparency and confidence SAN FRANCISCO, April 08, 2026 (G...
-
Proposal submitted jointly with American Airlines, who will take delivery of and use eSAF from Project Atlas SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinium and the Sustainable Aviation...
-
Sora Fuel Closes $14.6M Round to Scale Air-to-Jet Fuel Technology
Breakthrough technology unlocks a scalable pathway to sustainable aviation fuel that is carbon-negative and price-competitive with fossil fuel BOSTON, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sora Fuel, a cl...
-
Brazil's Second-Crop Corn Can Provide a Low-Carbon Pathway for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
New research shows that expanding ethanol production from Brazil's second crop corn can support the growth of sustainable aviation fuel while limiting land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions. ...