Three years after first unveiling an aircraft concept 100% powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the team behind Airbus’ ZEROe project (aiming to bring the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft to market by 2035) have successfully run the electric motors of the setup’s ‘iron pod’ using hydrogen fuel for the first time.
As well as the hydrogen fuel cell system, the iron pod contains the electric motors needed to spin a propeller, as well as the units that control and keep them cool.
“It was a huge moment for us because the architecture and design principles of the system are the same as those that we will see in the final design,” said Mathias Andriamisaina, head of testing and development on the ZEROe project.
Following extensive testing of the hydrogen fuel cell stacks (created in a joint venture with ElringKlinger), the system reached its full-power level of 1.2 megawatts in June 2023. The powertrain was subsequently run at 1 megawatt in October, before the complete power channel was run at 1.2 megawatts shortly before the end of 2023.
“This process is how we learn what changes need to be made to make the technology flight-worthy,” explained Hauke Peer-Luedders, head of fuel cell propulsion system for ZEROe. After future tests on this first version of the iron pod throughout 2024 (optimising the size, mass and qualifications of the system to meet flight specifications), it will then be fitted to Airbus’ A380 test platform.
After ground testing, the project aims to achieve a first flight of the system aboard the A380 as soon as 2026.