MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ) and ZeroAvia have signed an agreement to cooperate in developing hydrogen-electric propulsion for regional jet applications. The collaboration with MHIRJ will leverage ZeroAvia's hydrogen fuel cell powertrain technology and MHIRJ's aircraft design, certification and support experience to create aircraft solutions which not only have the potential to deliver new aircraft with hydrogen-electric propulsion, but also to retrofit existing aircraft in the market.

According to the agreement MHIRJ will support ZeroAvia by providing engineering services to aid the certification of the engines to Part 33 and will provide advisory services evaluating the feasibility of a green retrofit program for regional aircraft.

ZeroAvia has completed more than 35 test flights of a Piper M-class six-seat aircraft using its hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. It is currently working to convert a 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft with its zero-emission powertrain and a first test flight expected in the coming months. ZeroAvia plans certification and market entry for its 19-seat powertrain by 2024, with an eye towards larger aircraft of around 50-80 seats by 2026, and regional jets by around 2028.

“Developing aviation solutions for the future requires a re-assessment of their environmental impact and developing new technologies to ensure that aviation lives up to the commitments required to meet carbon reduction targets. At MHIRJ we are working with propulsion innovators to ensure that we are at the forefront of such developments and can design solutions to move the world forward,” says Hiro Yamamoto, president and CEO of MHIRJ. “Regional aircraft are key to keeping smaller communities and regions connected and are also more able to exploit the new technologies on the horizon than larger aircraft and, therefore this is a logical place for this development to begin and we are proud to be a part of this innovative solution.”

Val Miftakhov, CEO, ZeroAvia adds: “We believe that in the future almost every aircraft in the world will be powered by hydrogen-electric engines, simply because it is the most viable and scalable method for eliminating carbon and also to cut the other harmful emissions from the aviation sector. This collaboration with MHIRJ is a significant milestone for us and the aviation industry as a whole.”