Alaska Airlines is partnering with ZeroAvia, a leader in developing zero-emission planes to create what may soon be the largest aircraft ever operated with zero-emission power, using a hydrogen-electric system.
The plane, a 76-seat Q400 regional turboprop, has been turned over to the engine developer by the airline for testing with hydrogen-fueled engines like the one above, being tested on a truck body.
The work is being done at ZeroAvia’s U.S. facility at Payne Field, near Seattle. ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engine uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen fuel, before using that electricity to power electric motors which turn the aircraft propellers.
The company, based in the UK, has been retro-fitting larger and larger planes as it develops its engines. It has $10 billion in orders from airlines, and hopes that it can have planes with up to 19 seats and a 300-mile range in commercial service in 2025, with planes the size of the Q400 flying by 2027 with a 700-mile range.
