Airbus UpNext, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airbus, and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba), Toshiba Group’s energy arm, will cooperate and mutualise experience on superconducting technologies for future hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram
In the quest to decarbonise the aviation industry, hydrogen-powered aircraft are one of the promising solutions to achieve net zero emission by 2050. Superconducting technologies offer a unique advantage for these aircraft, using -253°C liquid hydrogen as a fuel but also to efficiently cool the electric propulsion systems. Cryogenic technology could allow for a nearly unimpaired power transmission within the electric systems of the aircraft, significantly improving their energy efficiency and performance.
The partners aim to co-develop a two-megawatt superconducting motor.
Over the past 10 years, Airbus has made efforts to derisk superconducting technologies. Recently, Airbus UpNext launched Cryoprop, a demonstrator to test a two megawatt-class superconducting electric propulsion system. Toshiba has been conducting research and development of superconducting technology applications for nearly half a century and has released its own two megawatt-class superconductivity motor prototype for mobility applications in June 2022.
