Hydrogen-electric propulsion systems delivering continuous power of between 350 and 500 kilowatts could be in production by 2030, according to Josef Kallo, co-founder and chief technology officer of H2Fly. Speaking on Wednesday at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany, he said that over the same four- to five-year period, further investment in the sector could result in functional models and applications for a 1.2-megawatt system able to power larger aircraft.

Germany-based H2Fly, which is owned by eVTOL aircraft manufacturer Joby Aviation, is working to progressively increase the power density of its fuel cell systems, with efforts currently focused on its 175-kilowatt H2F-175 unit. The focus of development efforts for its third-generation technology is to establish stability in terms of control, operations, handling, functionality, and reliability, and as work shifts to a fourth-generation unit, H2Fly’s 65-strong engineering team will scale up the technology and add improved components.