The only byproduct of the prototype with a liquid hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen-electric propulsion system was water vapor. The company stated that this test flight points to the future of emission-free regional aviation in an industry that is heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
This marked the first known forward flight of an eVTOL powered by liquid hydrogen. Joby retained the battery-electric air taxi shell and most of its internal hardware, reducing the battery load and installing a fuel tank capable of storing 40 kilograms of liquid hydrogen. This hydrogen is pumped into the fuel cell system to produce electricity, water and heat. Electricity generated from the fuel cell powers the air taxi’s six electric motors, while batteries provide extra power during takeoff and landing.
Joby plans to begin commercial operations of the air taxi as early as 2025. Because eVTOL doesn’t require a runway, it’s limited to 100 miles before recharging, making it a viable option for short distances like from home to the airport. If the hydrogen-powered model goes into production, this emission-free intercity aviation could be faster than travel by land or conventional aircraft. It would also be faster to refuel a hydrogen-powered air taxi than to charge an eVTOL
“Imagine being able to fly from San Francisco to San Diego, Boston to Baltimore, or Nashville to New Orleans without going to the airport and with only water emissions,” Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said in a statement. “It’s closer than ever, and the progress we’ve made towards certifying a battery-electric version of our aircraft gives us a huge advantage as we make hydrogen-electric flight a reality,” he said.
One of the biggest hurdles in realizing this vision is supplying sufficient liquid hydrogen from sustainable sources. As Inc. noted, this was the main factor that prevented a startup called Universal Hydrogen from succeeding. This company and ZeroAvia have completed test flights of hydrogen-powered aircraft in the last few years.
However, Bevirt is confident that there will be sufficient support from governments for the supply and distribution of hydrogen and green hydrogen. The United States has allocated $7 billion to build green hydrogen hubs across the country as part of a bipartisan infrastructure bill. “The world is transitioning to a hydrogen economy, and aviation is one of the most important use cases for this green hydrogen supply,” Bevirt said.
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