ZeroAvia has signed an agreement with French renting company Green Aerolease, to provide ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines. Green Aerolease plans to use the powertrains in its leased fleet, as an example with French airline Finistair, which will look to deploy them to power its own zero-emission routes, especially from Brittany.
France has recently enacted a ban on domestic flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of less than 2.5 hours. ZeroAvia’s first hydrogen-electric product targets market entry by 2025, with a 300 nautical mile range. This means domestic trips within France, and from France to other nearby countries, would be possible, as well as moving existing flights to zero-emission, including some other public service obligation (PSO) routes.
For smaller operators, zero-emission flights can be a big growth opportunity, as well as a solution for emissions impact. ZeroAvia predicts a steep cost reduction, due to the decrease in required maintenance and fuel costs, as green hydrogen production matures.
Charles Cabillic, the founder of Green Aerolease, said: “We are very proud to move forward with ZeroAvia in order to decarbonise aviation. With this kind of new propulsion, we will be able to develop air transportation for passengers without carbon emissions. This will definitely revolutionise aviation and take it into a new era.”