Superconducting motor windings for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft

Overview

Development and demonstration of superconducting alternating current motor windings for fully electric hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft, targeting organizations capable of advancing cryogenic electric propulsion systems to TRL5.

Who Can Apply

Consortia or single entities from eligible EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and specified third countries. Applicants must meet financial, operational, and exclusion criteria outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Funding Details

Maximum funding per project: 60,000,000 EUR. Funding rates and co-funding requirements follow Horizon Europe rules, with specific conditions detailed in the Clean Aviation Work Programme.

What Is Funded

Development and demonstration of superconducting AC motor windings for hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft, focusing on reliability, performance, and scalability of cryogenic electric propulsion systems. Activities must align with the expected outcome of achieving TRL5.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

Projects must target Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 6, with a focus on advancing to TRL5 by project completion.

Key Dates

• Call opens: 2026-03-30
• Deadline: 2026-05-18T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposal templates and financial annexes will be available upon call opening. Evaluation follows Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) Fast Track Activities criteria.

Geographic Scope & Language

Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland. Application language: English.

Notes

Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout requirements specified in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Applicants are advised to monitor the call webpage for updates, including Q&A releases on 2026-02-17 and 2026-04-17. Specific evaluation forms and model grant agreements will be provided in the submission system.