The first test flight was completed on October 1, 2019, while commercialization is scheduled for 2025.
German aviation startup Lilium, which is developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing aircraft for regional air mobility, has completed an internal funding round of more than $240 million.
The round was led by Tencent, a Chinese IT corporation, joined also by existing investors, including Atomico, Freigeist and LGT. Since its inception, Lilium already raised more than $340 million.
The company’s Lilium Jet is a five-seater, fully-electric eVTOL, scheduled for market launch in 2025. One of the main applications might be an electric air taxi and ridesharing.
“The new funds bring the total sum raised to date to more than $340m. They will be used to support further development of the Lilium Jet as well as underpinning preparations for serial production in Lilium’s newly-completed manufacturing facilities.
As well as designing and manufacturing the Lilium Jet, the company plans to operate a regional air mobility service as early as 2025 in several regions around the world.”
The first take-off and vertical landing test of the Lilium Jet was conducted on May 4, 2019 (two-seater prototype was tested in 2017).
Lilium Jet specs:
Lilium Jet
In December, the company shared results of a first longer flight test, conducted on October 1, 2019, which saw Lilium Jet smoothly flying around the test area at speeds above 100 km/h (62 mph) and landing without any trouble.
We assume that it was a key element to convince investors to step up investments. Currently, more than 400 people work on the project.
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