Flying Taxi Company Sells Electric Jets for London

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) jet maker Lilium is selling four of its jets to one of the largest helicopter and private jet operators in the U.K. 

Volare Aviation subsidiary eVolare agreed to purchase the Lilium jets in a deal that included delivery schedules, guarantees, deposits and pre-delivery payments. 

Evolare plans to operate electric aerial vehicles (EAV) to connect London with outer cities and coastal areas of England.

The buyer and Lilium also agreed on terms to reserve up to 12 more Lilium jet production slots. This would provide for up to 16 flying vehicles for use in the London area.

“EVolare has a vision, a detailed plan and a great knowledge of the vertical market; their expertise helps Lilium tremendously and the partnership is bearing fruits on both ends,” said Sebastien Borel, chief commercial officer of Lilium. “The London area is a very important market and a great match for our aircraft range and capabilities. EVolare was our first customer to sign a binding order and we continue to grow together.”

The Lilium electric jet is not yet ready for delivery, with the first flight tests with a pilot planned for later this year. Vehicle construction started last year, and the testing facility is expected to be operational this summer.

Related:Air Taxi Company Plans for French Riviera Operations

Before this deal, Lilium said it had an order pipeline for 780 flying vehicles.

The 26,000-square-foot test facility, designed by Segula Technologies, would be used to simulate flights and verify performance, according to the company.

Lilium recently teamed with a vertiport operator and an airport management company to create a vertiport network for EAVs in the French Riviera.

Lilium, UrbanV and Aeroports de la Cote d’Azur plan to bring Lilium electric jet flight to the South of France starting in 2026. 

The plan is to create a network to connect the French Riviera with Monaco, Nice, Cannes, Golfe de Saint-Tropez, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.

The partners plan to establish and operate eVTOL vehicles within a network of vertiports including Nice Côte d’Azur airport, the second-largest airport in France, with Cannes Mandelieu Airport and Golfe de Saint-Tropez Airport.

Lilium recently announced it is establishing an advanced test facility at the Lilium headquarters in Munich where it plans to house a fully integrated EAV to test avionics, flight controls, propulsion and electrical power systems. 

KfW bank in Frankfurt was recently commissioned by the Federal Government of Germany and the Free State of Bavaria to conduct due diligence for a $108 million loan guarantee by Germany.

Related:Air Taxi Company Starts Advanced Testing Facility

Lilium said it is in advanced discussions to create high-volume production facilities in France, with talks with the French government involving potential subsidies and loan guarantees, with future investment reaching up to $430 million.

Lilium already was considering sites in France including in Nouvelle Aquitaine, noted for aerospace and battery production facilities. 

Lilium recently received an order for 20 of its flying vehicles from UrbanLink, which plans to operate the EAVs in South Florida for trips to Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, with service starting in 2026.

The EAV maker is also teaming with jet and helicopter operator PhilJets to establish advanced air mobility (AAM) services in the Philippines and other Southeast Asia countries.

Lilium and PhilJets plan to jointly develop routes and determine passenger demand for an on-demand eVTOL service in the region. That deal included the sale of 10 Lilium jets to PhilJets.

LuftCar, the Florida developer of a hydrogen-powered eVTOL, also is expanding into the Philippines via a recent partnership with eFrancisco Motor Corporation (eFMC) to develop and deploy the LuftCar flying car system in the Philippines.

The hydrogen-powered air vehicle would connect to and lift road vehicles created by eFMC, a major jeepney manufacturer.

The Lilium eVTOL craft is a jet, unlike most EAVs.

The seven-seater vehicles are planned as a regional air mobility service, connecting cities and towns up to 125 miles apart at speeds of up to 185 mph.

The flying vehicle features forward canards (small wings near the front) along with main wings and a distributed propulsion system with fixed landing gear without hydraulics.

During takeoff, the plane would use its 36 electric ducted fans to hover for up to 25 seconds and 20 seconds during the landing phase, according to the company. Most of the flight time would be in the cruise stage with a relatively short takeoff and landing time.

The company estimates the range of the craft at 150 miles.

Lilium has teamed with the Lufthansa Group to explore opportunities in aviation including ground and flight operations, EAV maintenance and flight training in Europe.

Lilium has manufacturing facilities in Munich with teams in the U.S. and Europe with the European market expected to account for more than 9,000 vehicles through 2035.

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