The developers of the H2 Clipper hydrogen airship project shared interesting information about their plans for the near future on June 23 yesterday. For example, a team of enthusiasts talked about some pretty impressive features of the future aircraft, but these are still only presented on paper. But if you believe the project documentation, an electric airship operating on clean water and not emitting harmful substances into the atmosphere will be able to transport large loads over long distances for four times less than modern cargo ships.

Currently, the authors of the H2 Clipper noted that hydrogen airships can carry cargo of up to 150,000 kilograms – about 115 Toyota Corolla cars. The distance a new car can travel at a gas station is 9650 kilometers – this is the route from Los Angeles to Barcelona. Also, at full load, the airship will be able to move at a cruising speed of 280 kilometers per hour – this is certainly only a third of the speed of the Dreamliner passenger plane, but the declared speed is still 7-10 times higher. modern cargo ships navigating the seas and oceans.

But the airship’s main advantage is the H2 Clipper cargo delivery cost, according to the development team, it will allow carriers to carry cargo for only a quarter of the current cost of air freight (per ton-kilometer). Accordingly, cutting-edge technology would be the perfect solution in terms of economic benefits when transporting bulk and other heavy cargoes, as delivery would be faster than on water and cheaper than using a cargo plane. But the revolution in the freight market will have to wait a few years.

The company plans to build the first prototype of an airship powered by hydrogen fuel cells by 2025. After construction, tests of both the vehicle itself and the loading and unloading areas will begin, we will also have to think about the logistics and safety technologies of the gas stations. If all goes according to the developers’ plan, in 2028 the company will build a full-size hydrogen airship, which will receive the appropriate permits and certificates for airspace flights.