According to media reports, Lilium Aviation has lost one of its two flying taxi prototypes. Süddeutsche Zeitung As reported, a flying taxi was so badly damaged in a fire that it can no longer be repaired. The Munich startup is left with only a prototype for test flights.
After first successful test flights and maneuvers Lilium's success story is now being hampered by a fire: a fire in the Munich startup's factory hall severely damages one of its two flying taxi prototypes. According to a Lilium spokesperson, the damage is so severe that the prototype can no longer be used. The extent of the damage and the cause of the fire are still unclear, according to Lilium. This leaves the young company with only one more aircraft to conduct test flights. However, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, these have also been suspended for the time being.
Start of operations in 2025?
The five-seat, zero-emission Lilium Jet is scheduled to enter series production in 2025 and be used as an air taxi. The plan is for the jet, with a range of 300 km, to connect entire regions once completed, rather than just serving inner-city destinations. Whether the schedule can be met after the loss of one of the two prototypes remains to be seen.
