Airbus bets billions on hydrogen-powered planes

European manufacturer has touted various potential short- and medium-range designs, but the simplest and smallest seem most viable amid technological and demand uncertainty

Airbus believes hydrogen-powered planes are well-suited to cutting emissions from intra-continental air travel, but longer-range aircraft will rely on sustainable aviation fuel to reduce their environmental impact, a company spokeswoman tells Hydrogen Economist. Last September, Airbus unveiled three ZEROe hydrogen-powered concept planes that it claims could enter commercial service in 2035. The turboprop concept could fly up to 100 passengers to a range of c.1,000 nautical miles, while the turbofan and blended-wing configurations would have double the capacity and range. Airbus revealed another potential design in December in which a plane would have three, eight-bladed engines on each wing.