Airbus, Toshiba to Partner on Superconducting Technologies for Hydrogen-powered Aircraft

Airbus UpNext has announced a partnership with Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation to develop superconducting technologies for future hydrogen-powered aircraft.

This collaboration seeks to advance the aviation industry's decarbonization efforts, targeting net zero emissions by 2050.

Hydrogen-powered aircraft are emerging as a promising solution for sustainable aviation, utilizing -253°C liquid hydrogen as fuel while also efficiently cooling electric propulsion systems. The application of superconducting technologies could lead to nearly unimpaired power transmission within aircraft electric systems, significantly enhancing energy efficiency and overall performance.

The partners plan to co-develop a two-megawatt superconducting motor, with the agreement signed in Tokyo during Japan Aerospace 2024.

Airbus has been investing in superconducting technologies for over a decade, recently launching Cryoprop, a demonstrator testing a two-megawatt-class superconducting electric propulsion system. Toshiba has nearly 50 years of experience in this field and unveiled its own two-megawatt-class superconducting motor prototype for mobility applications in June 2022.

The partnership represents the first achievement of Airbus’s Tech Hub Japan, announced in May 2024, aimed at fostering collaboration in aerospace research, technology, and innovation to prepare for the next generation of aircraft.