Hydrogen-powered air taxi sets record with 523-mile flight emitting only water vapor
- The air taxi is based on Joby’s electric-based aircraft
- The hydrogen-based eVTOL emits only water and no carbon dioxide
- The company expects liquid hydrogen to fuel its aircraft for over 900 miles
Published on Jul 14, 2024 at 3:17 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Jul 15, 2024 at 8:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Siddharth Dudeja
A California-based startup has set an all-new record with its hydrogen-powered air taxi.
Joby Aviation’s S4 eVTOL air taxi has successfully travelled over 523 miles (841km) nonstop.
This is a big achievement, but the biggest surprise is that it only produced water as a by-product.
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Hydrogen-powered air taxi
Built on the firm’s successful battery-electric air taxi, Joby Aviation has developed a hydrogen-powered version of the flying car.
Its record-setting run also proves the potential of hydrogen as an efficient and emissions-free fuel.
However, it was not a proper model — but a pre-production prototype demonstrator instead.
The hydrogen-electric demonstrator was developed by a small team at Joby and H2FLY.
The H2FLY team is also known for building the world’s first piloted liquid-hydrogen electric aircraft.
How does the hydrogen-powered flying car work?
The demonstrator had a liquid hydrogen fuel tank and a few batteries to power the vehicle.
H2FLY also created a fuel cell system that uses hydrogen to generate heat, water, and power.
The hydrogen fuel tank generated electricity through an electrochemical reaction with oxygen from the air.
Joby Aviation has also signed a deal with Dubai to bring their air taxis to the tourist destination.
This achievement also makes Joby’s flying air taxi an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional gas-powered jets.
So we might see the hydrogen-powered air taxi quite soon.
With a push towards cleaner forms of aviation, this achievement is a great indication of the future.
“Imagine being able to fly from San Francisco to San Diego, Boston to Baltimore, or Nashville to New Orleans without the need to go to an airport and with no emissions except water,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Joby founder and CEO.
The company also expects liquid hydrogen to power their aircraft for over a 900-mile (1,500 km) range.
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Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
