An electric jet developed in Germany is expected to carry passengers as early as 2026, according to a Bloomberg report on Lilium’s revolutionary vertical take-off aircraft.
This is a milestone for a company that has been working on cleaner air travel for about a decade. But don’t expect Lilium to rest on its laurels for long. Officials plan to launch an even larger version sometime in the next decade that would increase passenger capacity from about six to 100. This model would also increase range from 109 miles to 620 miles, according to Bloomberg.
“It’s a vision at the moment, but there’s great potential,” company co-founder Daniel Wiegand told the news site.
Lilium’s own news section is full of updates on deals around the world, including in Saudi Arabia and Milan. The headline for the Middle East is about an order for up to 100 jets.
The first full-size test vehicle is currently being assembled in Munich. The maiden flight is scheduled to take place next year and delivery is expected in 2026, according to Bloomberg.
Lilium’s approach to electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft looks a little different from other aircraft in development. The planes already in the air from California-based Joby Aviation use propellers to generate lift.
Lilium uses jet engines with ducted tubes. The batteries are housed in the side panels. From certain angles, the wings look like serrated blades that change their orientation to steer the aircraft.
Inside, the plane is as modern and comfortable as you would expect from a state-of-the-art aircraft. Its safety ratings exceed those of a helicopter, with a theoretical failure probability of one in a billion flight hours, compared to one in a million for the propeller models, all according to Bloomberg and Lilium.
A basic version of the carbon fiber planes costs about $7.6 million. Lilium can build about 80 planes in Munich to meet existing demand. Company officials are working to raise additional funds to increase production, Bloomberg reported.
A Lilium video clip shows the potential benefits for travelers. A roughly 100-mile trip (in road miles) from New York City to Philadelphia takes about an hour and 10 minutes and costs about $200. A high-speed train takes 1 minute and 55 minutes, and a taxi takes more than two hours. These two modes of transportation could cost about $150 and $280, respectively, per Lilium.
Importantly, the battery-powered ride won’t create planet-warming air pollution. Our World in Data found that the aviation sector has contributed to about 4% of the planet’s overheating so far. Enabling more eVTOLs to fly can alleviate some of that burden, limiting the increased risk of severe weather and the health concerns experts link to the dirty air.
This is part of the transformation of our transportation sector that is also happening on the roads. According to Cox Automotive, 1.2 million electric vehicles were sold in the U.S. last year, a record high. Thanks to generous tax credits of up to $7,500, these cleaner vehicles are easier to come by.
If all goes according to plan at Lilium, the company’s eVTOLs will be operating in more places and carrying more and more passengers in the coming years.
“The potential of electric aviation to help solve the broader environmental problems and challenges facing aviation is significant,” Lilium CEO Klaus Röwe said in a press release.
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