Hydrogen-powered

Spanish company Quaternium has destroyed its own record for gasoline-electric drone endurance with a 10-hour, 14-minute flight. But how does that stack up against hydrogen and batteries, and what are the implications for the emerging eVTOL market?

VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) drones are quite versatile, as they combine the vertical flight of a helicopter with the efficient forward flight of a fixed-wing airplane. This one features an extended range, thanks to a fuel cell power system.

ZeroAvia says it completed the world's first hydrogen-fuel-cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft when a modified Piper M-class six-seater plane took off from its facility in England, and completed a full-pattern circuit before landing.

Hydrogen is on the rise as the zero-emissions aviation fuel of the future, and LA-based fuel logistics startup Universal Hydrogen is partnering with electric aviation specialists Magnix to develop a 40-seat hydrogen-electric airliner for 2024.

Nemesis Yachts has put forward a blue-sky vision for a super-fast, hydrogen-powered, autonomous luxury catamaran that can rise out of the water on hydrofoils to achieve crazy speeds over 50 knots. Oh, and you can swap this 300-footer's cabins out.

California's Hyperion has released images, video and details on its wild-looking XP-1 hydrogen supercar, the first fuel cell performance car. Forget the Lucid Air's 517-mile range, this electric beast will go more than 1,000 miles on a tank of H2.

Progress hasn't come as quickly as expected, but Skai remains committed to pioneering liquid hydrogen as a power source for its ultra-long range eVTOL air taxis, which will travel vastly longer distances than anything with a lithium battery system.

The first 10 units of Hyundai's hydrogen-powered Xcient Fuel Cell – the world's first heavy duty fuel-cell-powered truck – have rolled off the production line and are on their way to Switzerland, with 40 more to follow later this year.

The hydrogen fuel cell car is not dead yet; indeed, a new Australian company has just launched, promising to build industrial vehicles and passenger cars using fuel cell/ultracapacitor hybrid electric powertrains, with a "Snowy" SUV coming in 2022/3.

ZeroAvia is creating zero-emissions hydrogen-fuel-cell powertrains for electric mid-range aircraft that could run up to 50% cheaper than today's jet-fuel planes. CEO Val Miftakhov says he'll have a solution for long-range international flights, too.

Israeli VTOL air taxi developer Urban Aeronautics has announced it's partnering with HyPoint to develop a long range, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, emissions-free version of its remarkable CityHawk aircraft, based on the military Cormorant design.

Japanese Diesel engine manufacturer Yanmar has signaled its intention to bring hydrogen fuel cells to coastal vessels and work vessels in ports. The company will look at further expansion in later project phases depending on market requirements.