“Milestone achievements are closing the gap for the airline industry to begin its transition from fossil fuels,” CEO Val Miftakhov said in a statement.
“Both the aviation and financial markets have become aware of the idea that hydrogen is the only meaningful way to a large-scale, zero-emissions commercial flight,” he added.
ZeroAvia completed the world’s first hydrogen-powered flight of a commercial aircraft in September when a six-seater aircraft flew from its research and development facility in Cranfield, England and flew for about 10 to 15 minutes before landing.
He wants to go further, saying Wednesday that he expects a 250-mile flight from London to Paris in the next three months.
The company plans to commercialize its technology in early 2023, with flights up to 500 miles in 20-seat aircraft, used in regional aviation and cargo transport. Over the next 10 years it plans to experience more than 1000 miles of flights in a 100-seat aircraft.
Miftakhov said more than 10 airlines are gearing up to implement the company’s technology in 2023.
“ZeroAvia’s zero-emissions aviation powertrain has real potential to help beautify the aviation sector, and we hope this investment will accelerate the pace of increasing innovation,” said Cara Hurst, Amazon’s vice president for global stability.
Shell was invested by Shell Ventures, which invests in renewable energy companies.
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