Yesterday we took a close look at the CityHawk concept, which carries the promise of a viable flying car using VTOL technology. Now, if we set aside the term "flying car" and adopt "air taxi", what do we find? One of the most interesting initiatives is Lilium, presented as the first fully electric jet that can take off and land vertically. 300 kilometers of range, low noise, zero emissions. What are we waiting for?
The world is only just getting used to electric cars. All eyes are on Tesla and its much-anticipated Model 3, which if it lives up to what has been said so far, will probably completely change the automotive market. That said... imagine an electric car with wings. I suppose it's only a matter of time before Elon Musk tries some experiment like that, but before you shout "flying car", what we have here today cannot drive on the street. In fact, its maker presents it as a jet with a very special feature besides its electric propulsion: its VTOL capability. Let's make room for Lilium.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ohig71bwRUENot bad for a prototype, right? The jet Lilium successfully completed its first test flight, and the company didn't hesitate to take advantage of the occasion to announce a more advanced model with a five-passenger capacity (the prototype has two seats). The Lilium can fly a maximum distance of 300 kilometers at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour. The official page suggests "London to Paris in one hour", but if my calculations don't fail me, the Lilium would fall short by 45 kilometers. Still, these are very attractive numbers in a jet (something tells me they're stretching that classification a bit) that is fully electric, with no hybrid tricks or anything like that.
The amount of redundancy is impressive, both in batteries and in the number of turbines (36 in total), and as a last resort it can deploy a parachute to ensure a safe landing. So... when and how much? As expected, those responsible for Lilium are taking it easy. The dream of the "flying Uber" is still far away.
