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| Lilium launches a new electric plane |
Lilium Germany was the youngest electric aviation startup to go public through a reverse merger with a private acquisition company, or SPAC.
Lilium is merging with Qell Acquisition, a SPAC founded by former CEO of General Motors (Barry Engle).
As part of this announcement, Lilly has launched a new 7-seater electric plane that will be launched in 2025 as part of the intercity air taxi service.
The company's prototype previously had only five seats, which means Lilium's campaign to carry more passengers will grow as its financial outlook increases.
The type of plane that Lilium is developing is called an Flying car, can carry a small number of passengers, and is designed for short trips in a city or region.
These vehicle types are still in the prototype stage and have not yet been put into commercial service.
The company completed its first test phase in October 2019. The prototype was a five-seat electric prototype with 36 propellers, and the speed of the aircraft reached 100 kilometers per hour.
Lilium said it is expected to continue to operate passengers in multiple locations around the world until 2025.
The new seven-seater has a speed of 280 kilometers per hour, an altitude of 10,000 feet and a range of 250 kilometers.
These numbers are lower than the airline's expectations for a five-seater plane: it will have a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour and a range of 300 kilometers, Liliom said.
However, the company said: This aircraft represents the culmination of five years of technological development after four generations of technical services.
Lilium applied for certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2018, which usually takes several years. The company has also applied for certification from EASA in Europe.
Several companies, including Lilium, promised new aircraft a few years ago, but they either missed the deadline or failed to fulfill their previous promises.
Project Kitty Hawk, a flying car project sponsored by Google co-founder Larry Page, had to be reworked after reports of battery malfunctions and fires.
Another startup called Zunum is fighting a fierce legal battle with its former investor Boeing.