Airbus Forms New Joint Venture with MTU Aero Engines to Develop Electric-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Engine

Airbus has today announced that they have formed a joint venture with MTU Aero Engines for the development and commercialization of a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell engine.  This follows an MoU signed at the Paris Air Show in June 2025.

Rendering of Aircraft Powered by Electric Hydrogen Fuel Cell Engines – Courtesy Airbus

On Tuesday (July 7, 2026), Airbus announced an expansion of their collaboration with MTU Aero Engines with the establishment of a joint venture dedicated to the development and commercialization of a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell engine.  This upcoming milestone follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both companies at the Paris Air Show in June 2025.  The partnership aims to accelerate technology development, design, testing and certification of a revolutionary propulsion system for aviation based on a hydrogen fuel cell.  This non-binding agreement is subject to standard regulatory approvals, and is expected to commence operations in 2027.

In Tuesday’s announcement, Airbus’ Head of Future Programs, Bruno Fichefeux, said,

“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.  This new company will help secure strategic sovereignty in the next generation of aviation technologies while strengthening our ability to achieve the long-term ZEROe ambition.”

Also commenting on the new joint venture, MTU Aero Engines’ SVP – Engineering and Technology, Dr. Stefan Weber, said,

“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.  This project is a crucial milestone on our path to the first hydrogen-powered engine – and this is true European technology leadership.  To that end, we want to create a company that covers the entire life cycle of fuel cell powertrains – from development and testing through certification to commercialisation.”

The new joint venture is driven by the partners’ shared ambition to create the technology leader in this field and provide the first hydrogen-based fuel cell propulsion system to a commercial aircraft.  It will combine Airbus’ extensive commercial aircraft program knowledge, significant fuel cell propulsion and liquid hydrogen expertise with MTU’s multi-year fuel cell technology development and its recognised engine design, integration, validation and certification as well as maintenance expertise.  In Addition to the engine technologies, Airbus and MTU will continue to foster the emergence of a hydrogen aviation economy and the associated regulatory framework, which will be essential to the advent of hydrogen-powered flight at scale. 

Source: Airbus