Airbus Slams Brakes on Hydrogen Revolution: ZEROe Aircraft Delayed Until 2040s

Aviation giant delays revolutionary zero-emission aircraft program due to worldwide hydrogen infrastructure falling years behind schedule

Airbus has announced a significant delay to its ambitious ZEROe hydrogen-powered aircraft program, pushing back the timeline for commercial deployment from 2035 to the late 2040s. The European planemaker cited slower-than-anticipated development of the necessary global hydrogen infrastructure as the primary reason for the setback.

“There’s been a lot of work in the last years on bringing a green hydrogen supply to a number of industries as a way to decarbonize,” Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury recently told Sustainability Magazine. “Analysis of the landscape and progress has shown that a lot of projects have been put on the back burner, have been delayed, or are of lesser importance than what was expected five years ago.”

The ZEROe program, unveiled in September 2020 on Zero Emissions Day, originally aimed to revolutionize commercial aviation by introducing hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035. The initiative featured three distinct concept aircraft: a turbofan design carrying up to 200 passengers with a range exceeding 2,000 nautical miles, a turboprop variant accommodating up to 100 passengers with a 1,000 nautical mile range, and a futuristic blended-wing body design. A fourth concept based on electric propeller propulsion powered by hydrogen fuel cells was added in December 2020.

When launching the program, Faury had emphasized its historical significance, stating: “This is a historic moment for the commercial aviation sector as a whole and we intend to play a leading role in the most important transition this industry has ever seen. The concepts we unveil today offer the world a glimpse of our ambition to drive a bold vision for the future of zero-emission flight.”

However, the path to hydrogen-powered flight has proven more challenging than initially anticipated. Airbus has now determined that the extensive hydrogen ecosystem required for successful deployment – including production, distribution, airport infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks – is developing 5-10 years behind the company’s original expectations.

In addition to the timeline adjustment, Airbus has canceled plans to use its first-ever A380 superjumbo as a flying testbed for the new hydrogen engines. According to reports from Aerospace Testing International and the Financial Times, this decision comes as part of a broader reduction, with the budget for hydrogen initiatives reportedly being cut by 25%.

Despite these setbacks, Airbus maintains its commitment to hydrogen-powered aviation. The company has already enlisted more than 220 airports as partners, along with numerous energy providers and airlines, in its efforts to develop a global hydrogen ecosystem. In 2024, Airbus opened the ZEROe Development Center in Stade, Germany, to advance hydrogen technologies, including systems using fiber-reinforced composite materials such as cryogenic liquid hydrogen tanks.

For the nearer term, the aviation industry is focusing more heavily on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a stepping stone toward decarbonization. SAF can be used in varying blends with conventional jet fuel in existing aircraft, making it a more immediately viable solution. However, limited availability and higher costs continue to present challenges for widespread SAF adoption.

This recalibration of Airbus’s hydrogen timeline aligns with the broader aviation industry’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. While hydrogen remains a long-term focus for Airbus, the adjusted timeframe reflects a more realistic approach to the complex challenges of transforming aviation’s energy infrastructure.