BA backs ZeroAvia as it eyes hydrogen power for future short-haul fleet

British Airways has become the first airline to invest in hydrogen propulsion developer ZeroAvia, the first step in a journey that could see the flag carrier replace its whole short-haul fleet with zero-emission aircraft by 2050. Alongside a group of existing backers, including the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BA contributed to a total of $24.3m raised by the California-headquartered start-up. BA declines to say how much it provided for the Series A4 funding round, but the move is designed to allow ZeroAvia to advance the development of a fuel cell-based powertrain suitable for a 50-70-seat aircraft. Under the accelerated timetable, that aircraft could enter service in 2026, following in the footsteps of a 19-seater which is scheduled to arrive in 2024.<br/>