At this year’s Singapore Airshow, electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) jet developer Lilium has inked a memorandum of understanding with global aviation services provider PhilJets to introduce on-demand travel services in Asia, starting in the Philippines.
Lilium, founded in Munich, Germany, in 2015, has expanded its development teams across Europe and the United States and currently employs nearly 1,000 staff, including 500 aerospace engineers. The company is focused on bringing its unique eVTOL Jet design to commercial operations.
See also: Lufthansa and Lilium Explore Strategic Partnership for eVTOL Operation in Europe
The partnership with PhilJets marks a significant milestone for Lilium, which recently received development certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), enabling it to advance its eVTOL jets toward certification and production for commercial operations.
While Lilium continues to progress in Germany, the company is eyeing its first air-taxi rides on another continent, specifically in Asia, with the Philippines as the initial target market.
Under the agreement signed in Singapore, PhilJets plans to purchase ten eVTOL jets from Lilium, leading to the establishment of air taxi and private flight operations across the Philippines and other ASEAN countries, such as Cambodia.
See also: Lilium Initiates Production of Test Aircraft for Electric Air Taxi
PhilJets Chairman Thierry Tea expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “Our team is proud to collaborate with Lilium on the mission to transform the Philippines’ mobility with eVTOLs. With its growing economy, geography, and important tourism industry, the Philippines is a great match to the Lilium Jet’s capabilities.”
The choice of the Philippines as the starting point for eVTOL jet travel in Asia is strategic, given the country’s geography with over 7,500 islands. Lilium’s eVTOL jets are seen as a sustainable solution for regional air mobility, aligning with efforts to decarbonize the region’s transportation sector.
The Lilium Jet, powered by proprietary Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust (DEVT) technology, offers better aerodynamics and a lower noise profile compared to other eVTOLs. Production of the Lilium eVTOL Jet commenced in late 2023, with commercial flights expected to commence in 2026.
