Hydrogenics to help develop fuel cell-powered passenger plane

Canadian hydrogen generation and fuel cell products firm Hydrogenics Corp (NASDAQ:HYGS) last week announced its participation in a consortium that seeks to develop the world's first zero-emission four-seater passenger plane.

The particular aircraft, called HY4, has an electric motor with an output of 80 kW, top speed of about 200 km/h and a cruising speed of 145 km/h. Its main energy source is a low-temperature PEM fuel cell developed by Hydrogenics. The aircraft is expected to make its first flights in the summer of 2016.

In addition to Hydrogenics, the H2FLY consortium consists of the DLR Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, the University of Ulm, aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel and the Stuttgart Airport.

"Our goal is to use aircrafts such as the HY4 as Electric Air Taxis to link cities and offer faster alternatives to existing transport routes," said Josef Kallo, Electric Fly Coordinator for DLR. Hydrogenics added that Germany has the appropriate infrastructure to realise this approach.

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