Wednesday 27 July 2022

Rolls-Royce and Hyundai to deliver hydrogen-electric aircraft demo by 2025

Rolls-Royce and Hyundai Motor Group have announced a collaboration with the aim of delivering a joint fuel cell electric aircraft demonstration by 2025.

They will work together on bringing all-electric propulsion and hydrogen fuel cell technology to the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market, leveraging on Rolls-Royce's aviation and certification capabilities and Hyundai's hydrogen fuel cell technologies and industrialisation capability.

Other joint ambitions include the development of electric propulsion systems based on hydrogen fuel cells as an energy source for Hyundai's RAM platforms and industrialisation of Rolls-Royce's power and propulsion systems for the AAM market.

According to the organisations, the benefits of using a hydrogen fuel cell system in an all-electric aircraft propulsion system is that it is zero-emission, silent and a reliable on-board power sources that can be scaled in power offerings as well as long distance flight range.

Jaiwon Shin, President of Hyundai Motor Group, said: "We are pleased to partner with Rolls-Royce to draw upon their aviation and certification expertise to accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion systems.

“Hyundai has successfully delivered hydrogen fuel cell systems to the global automotive market and is now exploring the feasibility of electric and hydrogen propulsion technologies for aerospace integration. We believe this to be the key technology to support the global aviation industry's goal to fly net zero carbon by 2050.”