Airbus and MTU Aero Engines (MTU) plan to deepen their partnership by establishing a joint venture dedicated to developing and commercialising a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell engine. The planned venture marks the next milestone in the collaboration announced through the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed at the Paris Air Show in June 2025.
The new company will provide a dedicated, agile organisation designed to accelerate the development, design, testing and certification of a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system for aviation. Airbus and MTU will support the venture with their respective engineering, manufacturing and technology expertise.
The non-binding agreement remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and the completion of employee consultation processes at both European and national level. The joint venture is expected to begin operations in 2027.
“Our planned joint venture is the next logical step in our shared vision of a hydrogen-based propulsion concept for aviation,” said Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus. “By pooling our respective technology and expertise into a dedicated entity, we are creating 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.”
Hydrogen has the potential to play a significant role in reducing aviation’s climate impact over the long term, with the capacity to transform air transport in much the same way that electric vehicles are reshaping the automotive sector.
The joint venture reflects the partners’ shared ambition to become the technology leader in hydrogen fuel cell propulsion and to deliver the first hydrogen-powered fuel cell propulsion system for a commercial aircraft. It will combine Airbus’ extensive commercial aircraft programme expertise, fuel cell propulsion capabilities and liquid hydrogen know-how with MTU’s years of fuel cell technology development, alongside its recognised expertise in engine design, integration, validation, certification and maintenance.
