Airbus Pushes Sustainable Aviation Forward at Paris Air Show 2025
Airbus took a significant step toward sustainable aviation during the 55th Paris Air Show by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MTU Aero Engines to advance hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. This partnership highlights Airbus’s commitment to pioneering technologies that reduce aviation’s environmental impact, positioning the company at the forefront of the industry’s shift to zero-emission flight.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Collaboration
Airbus and MTU Aero Engines formalised their collaboration to develop hydrogen-powered fuel cell engines, a critical technology for emissions-free aircraft. The MoU, signed by Airbus’s Head of Future Programmes Bruno Fichefeux and MTU’s SVP Engineering and Technology Dr. Stefan Weber, builds on Airbus’s ZEROe project and MTU’s Flying Fuel Cell concept. The agreement outlines a three-step roadmap: maturing essential technological components through joint research projects like Clean Aviation, aligning research and technology strategies, and potentially developing a fuel cell engine for commercial aircraft. This partnership combines Airbus’s expertise in aircraft manufacturing with MTU’s engine innovation, aiming to accelerate the development of sustainable propulsion systems.
Path to Sustainable Aviation
The collaboration reflects Airbus’s focus on fully electric, hydrogen-powered aircraft, leveraging MTU’s recognised expertise in fuel cell technology. By pooling their knowledge, the two companies aim to address technology maturity and platform integration challenges, paving the way for a potential hydrogen-powered aircraft in the future. The initiative aligns with Airbus’s broader goal of decarbonising aviation, complementing its efforts to enable all aircraft, including the A350 family, to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) currently, with a target of 100% SAF compatibility by 2030.
This partnership with MTU Aero Engines, announced at the Paris Air Show 2025, strengthens Airbus’s role in sustainable aviation. By advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology, Airbus is paving the way for a new era of emissions-free flight and helping shape the future of global air travel.
