Swedish hydrogen fuel cell technology developers PowerCell Sweden AB (PowerCell) received another follow-on order for an MS-100 fuel cell system from the UK-US aviation technology start-up ZeroAvia. The new order is worth SEK 7.4 million (≈ EUR 732 400) and is expected to be delivered during the third quarter of 2021.
ZeroAvia is developing renewable hydrogen-electric aviation powertrain solutions that the company says will have 75 percent lower fuel and maintenance costs, resulting in up to 50 percent total trip cost reduction.
ZeroAvia is focussing on short-haul (300–500 mile) zero-emission missions in a 10–20 seat fixed-wing aircraft to utilize existing infrastructure and simplify regulatory issues.
In March this year, ZeroAvia placed an order for PowerCell MS-100 fuel cell systems worth SEK 5.1 million (≈ EUR 504 000) and is now following it up with another order for MS-100 fuel cell systems.
The company uses the ordered PowerCell MS-100 fuel cell systems in its efforts to develop a 600 kW zero-emissions aircraft drivetrain for 19 seat aircraft program.
In September 2020, ZeroAvia conducted the world’s first hydrogen-electric flight of a commercial airplane. The plane, a single-engine six-seater Piper Malibu, carried out an eight-minute flight and reached an altitude of 1 000 feet and a speed of 100 knots.
The plane had a hydrogen-electric powertrain in which a PowerCell MS-100 fuel cell system was an integral part.
