Airbus hydrogen fuel cell development. Airbus have developed an experimental version of the powertrain called the iron pod. This includes a electric motors and gearbox with an electromechanical load taking the place of a propeller. Under the ZEROe programme, Airbus intends to put a hydrogen-powered aircraft into service in the mid 2030s. At 1.2 MW output, the engine is sized for an aircraft capable of carrying 100 passengers on routes of 1,850 kilometres using a six-motor configuration. Hydrogen fuel cells work by transforming the hydrogen into electricity through a chemical reaction. The by-product of the reaction is water vapour, resulting in almost zero emissions.