German developer of electric takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) Lilium says it has signed a par of deals to deliver vehicles to operators of future transport services in Scandinavia and the Benelux countries.
The two transactions cover a total of 46 Lilium eVTOL jets, as well as construction of vertiports. The first accord announced was with air solutions and services provider AAP Aviation Group, which intends to launch advanced air mobility (AAM) operations across Scandinavia, beginning with Norway. Revealed just hours later, the second contract was inked with the ASL Group to facilitate its plans to operate eVTOL flights in Benelux nations, particularly Belgium and the Netherlands.
Read: Germany’s Lilium strikes $1 billion eVTOL deal with Brazil’s Azul airline
The partnership with APP calls for Lilium to supply 40 eVTOL aircraft, and assist in the identification and facility construction of appropriate landing sites for future AAM services. The deal with ASL covers six of the next generation aircraft, and similar planning and creation of vertiport networks in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and even the west of Germany.
“ASL Group is a truly innovative company with a vision to provide the best services for its customers, evaluating how to best transform our industry to minimize CO2 emissions,” noted Lilium CEO Daniel Wiegand. “Our aircraft performance and low noise profile will be a great addition to ASL’s fleet. With the highest population density in Europe, Benelux represents a perfect use case for eVTOL transportation, and we are proud to support ASL’s development in the region.”
Lilium is developing a range of eVTOLs that will transport between three and six passengers, and fly up to 124 miles on a single battery charge at top speeds of 109 mph. In June it joined a cluster of AAM aircraft makers that experienced top leadership changes as efforts were ramped up toward looming craft certification. The company believes it will secure that regulator approval in 2024 and begin delivering the aircraft shortly thereafter.
Read: Lilium seeks to lure private jet owners to eVTOL acquisitions
After considering a range of other possible eVTOL alternatives, AAP CEO Espen Høiby said Lilium jets matched both the requirements of his company, and the Scandinavian countries to be serviced by the future, sustainable aircraft.
“Due to the mix of water, terrain and mountains, Norway is particularly suited to regional air mobility,” he said. “With its vertical take-off and landing capability, high speed, and regional range, the Lilium Jet can achieve hours of time savings compared with today’s transportation modes. The Lilium Jet performance, its low noise profile and its spacious cabin makes the ideal aircraft to develop sustainable air transport in Scandinavia.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments