Safran outlines hydrogen fuel cell collaboration with ZeroAvia

Safran has given more detail on its collaboration with ZeroAvia, the UK-based developer of hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, describing the tie-up as a research partnership rather than a financial investment.

The partnership was disclosed in mid-July. It centres on hydrogen-electric propulsion for aviation, with a specific focus on advanced high-temperature fuel cells. Safran says the low-temperature fuel cell stacks ZeroAvia currently uses for its smaller ZA200 and ZA600 powertrains are not sufficient to power larger turboprops or jets. That's why the companies are targeting high-temperature technology instead.

Speaking at the Farnborough air show, Safran's chief technology officer said ZeroAvia's recent strategic shift toward high-temperature fuel cell research and liquid hydrogen infrastructure had brought the two companies closer together. The collaboration, he said, will initially aim to address shared technical obstacles, particularly around the membrane electrode assembly technology used in building fuel cell stacks, which is seen as critical to raising power output.

Despite this alignment on a specific technical challenge, Safran said the two companies do not plan to merge their broader technology development strategies. The arrangement appears limited to areas where the two firms' research plans directly overlap.

ZeroAvia underwent a restructuring earlier this year that shifted its near-term focus toward the ZA200 powertrain, while prioritising longer-term work on high-temperature fuel cells and liquid hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. Safran has not disclosed a timeline for when the collaboration might produce results.