Airbus and MTU Aero Engines have announced plans to establish a joint venture to develop and commercialise a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell engine for future commercial aircraft, marking a significant step towards zero-emission aviation.
The planned venture builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two companies at the Paris Air Show in June 2025. Designed as a dedicated and agile organisation, the joint venture will accelerate the development, testing, certification and industrialisation of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technology.
Subject to regulatory approvals and the completion of required social processes across Europe, the new company is expected to begin operations in 2027.
The joint venture will combine Airbus’ expertise in commercial aircraft programmes, fuel cell propulsion and liquid hydrogen technologies with MTU Aero Engines’ experience in fuel cell development, engine design, integration, validation, certification and maintenance.
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Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus, said the partnership represents the next stage in advancing hydrogen-powered aviation.
“Our planned joint venture is the next logical step in our shared vision of a hydrogen-based propulsion concept for aviation. By pooling our respective technology and expertise into a dedicated entity, we are establishing a European powerhouse capable of transforming advanced research into industrialised, certifiable electric propulsion systems,” he said.
Fichefeux added that the new company would strengthen Europe’s leadership in next-generation aviation technologies while supporting Airbus’ long-term ZEROe programme.
Dr. Stefan Weber, SVP Engineering and Technology at MTU Aero Engines, said the initiative aims to deliver a safe, reliable, and economically viable propulsion system for climate-neutral aviation.
“Our ambitious goal is to pave the way for a newly developed, safe, reliable and economical propulsion system that will contribute to climate-neutral aviation,” Weber said. “This project is a crucial milestone on our path to the first hydrogen-powered engine and represents true European technology leadership.”
The proposed company will oversee the entire lifecycle of hydrogen fuel cell powertrains, from development and testing through certification and commercialisation.
Hydrogen is widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for significantly reducing aviation’s long-term carbon emissions. Through the collaboration, Airbus and MTU aim to develop the first hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system for commercial aircraft while supporting the broader hydrogen aviation ecosystem, including the regulatory framework and infrastructure required for large-scale adoption.
