An Airbus A380
Airbus to test hydrogen engine on biggest passenger jet
Modified A380 to start tests flights in around 2025 with liquid hydrogen-fuelled engine mounted on rear fuselage
European aerospace company Airbus has launched a project to demonstrate a hydrogen-fuelled engine mounted onto a modified version of its A380 model, the world’s largest passenger plane. Test flights are scheduled to start in around 2025 with the ultimate aim of commercial use of a zero-emission plane by 2035. Airbus has signed a partnership agreement with US-based engine maker CFM International —a 50/50 joint company between US multinational GE and engine manufacturer Safran Aircraft Engines—to develop the project. “By leveraging the expertise of American and European engine manufacturers to make progress on hydrogen combustion technology, this international partnership sends a clear message
Also in this section
18 June 2025
The country’s green hydrogen sector can gain traction even as the global trade war rages and other headwinds hamper the sector, Mohsen al-Hadhrami, undersecretary of energy and minerals, tells Hydrogen Economist
18 June 2025
UK risks losing out on in race to secure hydrogen imports as its refusal to back ammonia cracking sinks $2.7b Immingham project
11 June 2025
China emerges as clear frontrunner as US growth stalls and Europe burdens its industry with labyrinthine regulations
30 May 2025
Pressure is growing on developers to prove the bankability of their projects in a challenging market for green hydrogen
