A hydrogen-electric aeroplane from Joby Aviation Inc's (NYSE:JOBY) H2FLY could fly from London to Italy, it was claimed, after it landed its longest emissions-free test flight this week.
H2FLY successfully completed four piloted test flights of an aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen, it said, including one that lasted for more than three hours.
The HY4 aircraft's liquid hydrogen-electric fuel cell system now has a range of 1,500 km, double its previous distance.
H2FLY, in which commercial partners include L'Air Liquide SA (OTC:AIQUF), Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, the German Aerospace Center and EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies, sees the adoption of craft such as the HY4 as a pathway to decarbonize commercial aviation.
Professor Josef Kallo, H2FLY co-founder along with four other engineers from the German Aerospace Center and the University of Ulm, said the flights have "demonstrated the viability of liquid hydrogen to support medium and long-range emissions-free flight".
He said the company, which was acquired in 2021 by California-based Joby, is looking to scale up the technology for regional aircraft and other applications.
Earlier in the summer, Joby's US business got permission from the Federal Aviation Authority to begin all-electric air taxi test flights in the US from 2024.
Aiming to begin commercial passenger operations in 2025, it has partnered with Delta Air Lines to provide emissions-free transport to and from airports for Delta customers.
Other hydrogen aircraft
The news from H2FLY comes in the same week in which Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.), easyJet PLC and Airbus Group formed a new alliance aimed at boosting the role of hydrogen in the aviation industry.
As the Hydrogen in Aviation alliance, which also includes Melrose Industries PLC (LSE:MRO, OTC:MLSPF)'s GKN Aerospace arm and Scandinavian energy giant Ørsted, the companies plan to collaborate on developing alternatively powered flight technology, which they say could contribute £34 billion a year to the UK economy as well as playing a key role in decarbonising flights.
Rolls-Royce and easyJet last year tested a green hydrogen-powered jet engine, while Airbus also has similar hydrogen-powered plans.
ZeroAvia in January completed a test flight of what it said was the world’s largest ever aircraft powered by hydrogen, though only for 10 minutes.
However, critics say hydrogen is not viable for the aviation sector, due to weight and cost issues in particular.