German aerospace enterprise Lilium is on a mission to revolutionize air transportation with its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe described the company’s goal in an interview with CNBC Tech, stating, “Revolutionize means make it absolutely zero emission.” He emphasized their ambition to develop a regional aircraft with substantial transport capacity to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
Founded by four university students less than ten years ago, Lilium has swiftly become one of Europe’s leading eVTOL companies. In 2019, the company successfully conducted a test flight of its all-electric five-seater aircraft and is aiming for certification by 2026.
Roewe highlighted the challenges faced in achieving further efficiency gains in reducing CO2 emissions, stating, “Getting another 20%-30% out, in terms of CO2 reduction, is very, very difficult. So, you have to make a leapfrog in terms of technologies.”
Backed by investors like China’s Tencent and Earlybird Venture Capital, Lilium has begun accepting orders from the premium market, with each jet priced at approximately $9 million. Additionally, the company is working on a six-seater version, which will be available for around $7 million.
While the eVTOL industry is highly competitive, with over 400 companies and innovators registering designs, Lilium’s chief engineer of innovation and future programs, Daniel Wiegand, believes the company stands out. According to Wiegand, Lilium’s focus on regional flights and utilization of jet technology for longer ranges differentiate it from competitors who predominantly use propellers.
