The British multinational aerospace and defence company, Rolls-Royce signed on 18 July a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hyundai Motor Group to develop all-electric propulsion and hydrogen fuel cell technology for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Market.
The partnership aims to utilise Rolls-Royce’s aviation and certification capabilities and Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen fuel cell technologies and industrialisation capabilities to deliver battery-electric and fuel cell electric solutions to the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Regional Air Mobility (RAM) markets.
Enhanced collaboration
Under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate on developing the power and propulsion systems for Hyundai’s Advanced Air Mobility Division, as well as the industrialisation of Rolls-Royce power and propulsion systems for the Advanced Air Mobility market.
Moreover, the companies will develop hydrogen fuel cells – based electric propulsion systems as a source of energy for Hyundai’s RAM platforms and bring a joint fuel-cell electric propulsion system to the wider AAM market.
Over and above, Rolls-Royce and Hyundai will team up to deliver a joint fuel-cell electric aircraft demonstration by 2025.
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Leading the way
“We are delighted to partner with Hyundai Motor Group which provides a valuable opportunity to leverage and build on the capabilities each company brings from the aerospace and automotive sectors. The Advanced Air Mobility Market offers great commercial potential, and this collaboration supports our joint ambitions to lead the way in the Advanced Air Mobility Market,” Rolls-Royce Electrical’s President, Rob Watson said, stressing that the collaboration demonstrates “Rolls-Royce’s role in delivering the solutions that will enable passengers to travel sustainably and help deliver net zero carbon by 2050.”
Sustainability efforts
On his part, the President of Hyundai Motor Group’s Advanced Air Mobility Division, Jaiwon Shin said that the partnership enables the company to draw upon Rolls- Royce’s aviation and certification expertise to accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion systems.
“Hyundai has successfully delivered hydrogen fuel cell systems to the global automotive market and is now exploring the feasibility of electric and hydrogen propulsion technologies for aerospace integration. We believe this to be the key technology to support the global aviation industry’s goal to fly net zero carbon by 2050,” he added.
In 2021, Rolls-Royce announced a pathway to net-zero emissions, leveraging its electrical solutions to decarbonise critical parts of the global economy.
