Welcome to the #PaxEx Podcast, which tracks the evolution of the airline passenger experience and industry’s sustainability initiatives. We’re pleased to share our deep dive interview with Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, which is working to bring the world’s first zero-emission engines to commercial aviation.
During our conversation, Miftakhov said ZeroAvia is hopeful of receiving initial certification at the end of 2025 for its hydrogen-electric powertrain for regional turboprops carrying up to 20 seats. When shipments of the so-called ZA600 engine begin — and if the time is right — Miftakhov intends to take the company public as early as 2026.
“Until we have profitability as a company, we’ll probably have another round of financing next year. And then as we start shipping the product, if the markets are good, I plan to take the company public. So that could happen as early as 2026 for us, in two years. But we’ll see what the markets do,” he told RGN on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association’s World Sustainability Symposium in Coral Gables, Florida.
Meanwhile, the company is also designing a larger hydrogen-electric engine, dubbed ZA2000, for larger regional aircraft such as the Bombardier CRJ700, which American Airlines operates (the US major in July made a conditional purchase of 100 ZeroAvia engines.)
To that end, ZeroAvia has “actually done a good amount of work” with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which acquired the CRJ program in 2020, and that work confirmed that “our engines will work with CRJ”, Miftakhov said.
Music license: Adventurous Life by L-Ray Music, PremiumBeat by Shutterstock
