Lilium’s flying taxi is in the class of aircraft known as eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing), but otherwise, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s set apart from other EVTOLs through its design. The German startup redesigned the aircraft from scratch instead of modifying an existing idea.
A new announcement from the company states that it’s developing a 7-seater version (its first one was a 5-seater), which I more like an air minibus than a flying taxi. It also said it intends to list on Nasdaq through a merger with Qell Acquisition Corp., a company led by Barry Engle, a former president of General Motors North America, providing Lilium with access to industry experience and capital. They plan to launch commercial operations as soon as 2024.
The fact that Lilium will have an eVTOL jet that can seat more passengers than its competition sets it up to be a global leader in regional electric air mobility. The aircraft can also shuttle more goods. Its service for people and cargo will be a sustainable, high-speed transportation option.
Daniel Wiegand, Co-Founder and CEO, Lilium, “Our vision is to create a sustainable and accessible mode of high-speed travel and bring this to every community. Transport infrastructure is broken. It is costly in personal time, space consumption, and carbon emissions. We are pursuing our unique electric jet technology because it is the key to higher-capacity aircraft, with a lower cost per seat mile while delivering low noise and low emissions.”
The 7-Seater Lilium Jet is a culmination of five years of technology development across four generations of demonstrators, including its full-scale 5-Seater. Last year, it received a CRI-A01 certification basis from EASA. However, it hasn’t received type certification yet to be used as a commercial aircraft.
Nevertheless, certification shouldn’t be a problem to get, seeing as Lilium has over 400 engineers with a total of 4,000 years of aerospace experience. Its leadership team has been responsible for delivering some of the most complex aircraft in aviation history, such as the Airbus A320, A350 and A380, Gulfstream G650, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Harrier VTOL.
Barry Engle, Founder and CEO, Qell, “Lilium has unique technology and one of the most accomplished engineering and commercial teams in electric aviation. The 7-Seater Lilium Jet is a game-changer for transportation. I have spent my career in mobility and been part of the electrification of the automotive industry. The market and societal potential from the electrification of air travel are enormous. I, and the whole team at Qell, are excited about the impact Lilium can have and the part we can play.”
Lilium could save people hours of life and revolutionize air travel. The 7-Seater Jet has a projected cruise speed of 175 mph (280 km/h) at 10,000 feet and a range of 155 or more miles (250+ km), including reserves.
The company has even been laying out the groundwork for vertiports in Florida and across Europe. As many as 14 vertiports are already planned in Florida, with the first to be located in Orlando’s Lake Nona region. They hope to expand the network from there across the entire state. Meanwhile, it’s in advanced discussions with infrastructure partners in Europe about building a network across the continent. Lilium is one of several companies racing to bring eVTOL air taxis to market. For a broader look at the futuristic aircraft programs reshaping aviation, including supersonic jets, hydrogen planes, and blended-wing designs, see our guide to futuristic aircraft transforming flight by 2035.
