American Airlines invests in ZeroAvia

American Airlines announced its investment in ZeroAvia, a leader in hydrogen-electric, zero-emission aviation.

In addition to the investment, a memorandum of understanding provides Americans with the opportunity to order up to 100 engines from ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrain development program. The engines are intended to power regional jet aircraft with zero emissions.

ZeroAvia is working to achieve certain types of certifications for its innovative propulsion technology that will pave the way for the engines to be incorporated into the regional jet market in the future. The ZA2000-RJ powertrain is anticipated to enable passengers to fly in zero-emission regional jets as early as the late 2020s.

In addition to the strategy and progress outlined in American’s recently published Environmental, Social and Governance Report, other recent sustainability efforts by the airline include:

• Receiving the industry’s first-ever CORSIA-certified batch of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Neste.
• Reaching an agreement to purchase 500 million gallons of SAF over five years from Gevo, Inc., American’s most significant SAF commitment to date.
• Becoming the first airline globally to receive validation from the Science Based Targets initiative for its 2035 GHG emissions reduction targets.

Derek Kerr, American Airlines’ CFO, said, “We are excited to contribute to this industry development and look forward to exploring how these engines can support the future of our airline as we build American Airlines to thrive forever.”

Val Miftakhov, ZeroAvia Founder and CEO, said, “We are focused on delivering sustainable travel and are delighted that American, a visionary leader in the industry, sees ZeroAvia as a part of the future of aviation.”