Got a pilot's license? And crazy rich? If so, you can take off vertically then soar horizontally through the sky with Lilium's sleek electric-powered craft, which is now on sale in the US. It's the first time an eVTOL has been offered commercially.
Instead of using the large rotors seen on other eVTOLs, it uses a series of small ducted fans for both vertical and horizontal propulsion. This novel approach, known as ducted electric vectored thrust ( DEVT), has been a big win for the company. For example, Lilium signed a major commercial deal with Brazil's third largest domestic airline, Azul, in 2021. That contract was for the delivery of 220 units and was valued at nearly a billion dollars.
Now, Lilium has announced that it will be offering the first eVTOLs for private sale in the US.
Traditional jet engines power 95 percent of commercial aircraft and Lilium has based its design on the same principles, yet far simpler. Lilium's electric jet engines rely on just a single "stage" rotor/stator system driven by an electric motor with zero emissions.
While commercial availability of an eVTOL might spark dreams of taking a flying car from your home to the supermarket for your weekly shop, unfortunately for most us (for the moment, at least) the price is going to be beyond our reach. "List price is US$10 million, which includes a comprehensive service and warranty package, making it one of the most cost-effective jets to operate in its class," company representative, Christine Pierk, told New Atlas.
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