Airbus and MTU Aero Engines have announced plans to establish a joint venture dedicated to the development and commercialisation of a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell engine.
The upcoming partnership builds upon a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two aerospace firms at the Paris Air Show in June 2025. By creating a highly agile, standalone business entity, the partners aim to accelerate the technology development, design, testing, and certification of a revolutionary hydrogen-based propulsion system. The new venture will be supported by engineering and manufacturing teams from both parent organisations, drawing on their combined institutional expertise.
The non-binding agreement remains subject to standard regulatory approvals and the completion of social and employee consultation processes at both national and European levels. Operations for the new joint venture are expected to commence in 2027.
Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus, described the planned venture as the next logical step in a shared vision for hydrogen-based flight. He noted that pooling their respective technologies into a dedicated entity will establish a European powerhouse capable of transforming advanced research into certifiable electric propulsion systems. Fichefeux added that the new company will help secure strategic European sovereignty in next-generation aviation technologies while reinforcing the long-term ZEROe decarbonisation ambition.
Dr Stefan Weber, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology at MTU Aero Engines, emphasised that the project represents a crucial milestone on the path toward the first hydrogen-powered engine. Weber stated that the goal is to build a company covering the entire lifecycle of fuel cell powertrains, from initial testing through to complete commercialisation, helping pave the way for safe, reliable, and economical climate-neutral aviation.
The partners share an ambition to become the technology leader in zero-emission flight, aiming to deliver the first hydrogen-based fuel cell propulsion system to a commercial aircraft. The joint venture will integrate the extensive commercial aircraft programme knowledge and liquid hydrogen expertise of Airbus with the multi-year fuel cell technology development, engine design, validation, and maintenance capabilities of MTU.
Beyond developing the core engine technologies, both Airbus and MTU intend to continue fostering the broader hydrogen aviation economy and the necessary regulatory frameworks required to enable hydrogen-powered flight at scale.
