- ZeroAvia will incorporate a 3MW+ hydrogen-electric
powertrain system into a De Havilland DHC-8-400 (Q400)
aircraft.
- Joint development collaboration also adds Alaska Airlines
to ZeroAvia's list of investors.
- The aircraft will contain a ZA2000, the largest ZeroAvia's
powertrain platform, capable of producing between 2,000 kW and
5,000 kW.
SEATTLE and KEMBLE, United
Kingdom and HOLLISTER, Calif., Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeroAvia is
gaining altitude as the leader in zero-emission
passenger aircraft as it announces a development collaboration
with Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, for a
hydrogen-electric powertrain capable of flying 76-seat regional
aircraft in excess of 500 NM. Alaska is also joining the list of top
investors for the company, alongside a fellow Seattle-based Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and
Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy
Ventures.
"Alaska is committed to
creating a sustainable future for aviation, working on all aspects
of a five-part path toward our goal of net zero by 2040,"
said Diana Birkett Rakow, vice
president of public affairs and sustainability for Alaska Airlines.
"We are honored to partner with ZeroAvia's innovative and
forward-thinking team, to support their progress developing
zero-emissions aviation, and to collaborate for real-world hydrogen
aviation success."
Alaska and ZeroAvia engineers
will work together to scale the company's existing powertrain
platform to produce the ZA2000, an engine family capable of
producing between 2,000 and 5,000 kilowatts of power with a
500-mile range. The partnership will initially deploy ZeroAvia's
hydrogen-electric propulsion technology into a full-size De
Havilland Q400 aircraft, previously operated by Alaska Air Group
subsidiary Horizon Air Industries, Inc., capable of transporting 76
passengers. ZeroAvia will also work closely with aircraft
regulators during this project to ensure the aircraft meets both
safety and operational requirements. ZeroAvia will set up a
location in the Seattle area to
support this initiative.
Alaska has also secured options
for up to 50 kits to begin converting its regional aircraft to
hydrogen-electric power through ZeroAvia's zero-emission
powertrain, starting with the Q400 aircraft. This pioneering
zero-emission aviation rollout will be supported by the ground fuel
production and dispensing infrastructure from ZeroAvia and its
infrastructure partners, such as Shell. Working to advance novel
propulsion is one of the five parts of Alaska's strategy to achieve net zero.
"The aviation industry is one of the hardest industries to
decarbonize; however, with this collaboration, we are one step
closer to achieving our goal of making our skies emission-free,"
said Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder of ZeroAvia. "We are thrilled
to see Alaska taking the lead to
implement clean technologies into their operations and look forward
to putting boots on the ground with Alaska's team.."
Recently, ZeroAvia also successfully ground-tested its 600kW
powertrain capable of flying airframes 10-20 seats in size 500
miles, is well advanced in preparing a 19-seat aircraft for flight
testing at Cotswold Airport in the UK and is moving to full-size
prototype manufacturing of its 2,000 kW engine for demonstrations
in 2022.
About ZeroAvia
ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on
hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of
markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft
used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and
more. Based in the UK and USA,
ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two
prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight
test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024
for its 600kW engines, and 2026 for its 2,000-5,000kW engine
platform. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by
grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK,
and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council.
For more information, please visit ZeroAvia.com and follow
@ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve more than 120
destinations across the United
States and to Mexico,
Canada and Costa Rica. The airline emphasizes Next-Level
Care for its guests, along with providing low fares, award-winning
customer service and sustainability efforts. Alaska is a member of oneworld. With the
global alliance and the airline's additional partners, guests can
travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 20 airlines
while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around
the world. Learn more about Alaska
at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines
and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE:
ALK).