TOKYO, Japan—Airbus UpNext, a subsidiary of Airbus, and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation have announced a collaboration to explore superconducting technologies for future hydrogen-powered aircraft. This partnership aims to co-develop a two-megawatt superconducting motor, leveraging Toshiba's expertise in superconductivity and Airbus's innovations in hydrogen propulsion.

Hydrogen-powered aircraft represent a key solution in the aviation industry's drive toward net-zero emissions by 2050. Superconducting technology, which utilizes -253°C liquid hydrogen for both fuel and cooling, offers significant advantages by boosting the energy efficiency and performance of electric propulsion systems.

“Partnering with Toshiba allows us to push beyond the current limitations of electric motors and develop breakthrough technologies for our future hydrogen-powered aircraft,” said Grzegorz Ombach, Airbus Senior Vice President and Head of Disruptive R&T. “This collaboration is a critical step in advancing superconducting motor technology for aerospace applications.”

Toshiba’s Corporate Officer, Tsutomu Takeuchi, added, “With our long-standing expertise in superconducting technology and motor design, we see great potential in this collaboration with Airbus to drive the decarbonization of aviation and shape the future of flight.”

The agreement was signed during the Japan Aerospace 2024 event in Tokyo by key representatives from both companies. This partnership marks the first major milestone for Airbus Tech Hub Japan, an initiative launched in May 2024 to foster innovation and collaboration in the aerospace industry.

Airbus has been actively working to de-risk superconducting technologies through its Cryoprop demonstrator program, testing two-megawatt-class electric propulsion systems. Meanwhile, Toshiba has spent nearly 50 years advancing superconducting technology and developed its own two-megawatt superconducting motor prototype in 2022.