Aircraft
Airbus Admits Hydrogen Airliners Could Take Longer to Deliver
European aerospace group says it will not meet target of certifying a hydrogen-powered aircraft in 2035
Airbus ZeroE hydrogen airliner concept
In September 2020, Airbus unveiled several hydrogen airliner concepts, including this blended wing body design, when it launched its ZeroE program.

Airbus has acknowledged that its plans to bring hydrogen-powered airliners into commercial service will not be achieved by the 2035 target date set when the company announced the ZeroE project in September 2020. On February 7, the European aerospace group confirmed that the work is taking longer than expected but did not specify an adjusted timeline.

According to reports by French news agency AFP, Airbus told officials at the Force Ouvrière trade union that the objective could take five to 10 years longer than first anticipated. The union also claimed that the ZeroE research and development budget has been cut by 25%, bringing into question whether plans to fly a hydrogen technology demonstrator engine on an A380 testbed will be achieved, as previously announced.