Electric aircraft will be the center of Florida

In Florida, 10 centers will be set up from which electric, jet-powered, so-called air taxis will be able to travel across the state. Five-year-old Munich-based startup Lilium announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial to build more than 10 landing sites – veriports – in several major Florida cities, including Orlando. Lilium CEO Dr. Remo Gerber said the majority of Florida residents will be able to reach one of the air taxi centers in about 30 minutes as the company plans to scatter the stations across the state so they become accessible to everyone.

The first commercial flight in the state could be announced as early as spring. Lilium plans to have flights in operation worldwide by 2025. The company’s commercial director, Remo Gerber, told Insider in 2019 that Lilium plans to charge those interested for $ 70 per flight. The planes will not emit harmful substances and are designed to fit perfectly into the urban environment. According to a Lilium press release, the plane will be as loud as a truck on takeoff and will not be audible at all if it flies 400 meters above the ground. The electric vehicle is designed to keep maintenance costs to a minimum. The concept of air taxis is widespread worldwide, according to research by Morgan Stanley in 2020, the market for air electric taxis could reach $ 1.5 trillion by 2040.

Lilium has a number of major investors, including Tencent and Atomico. In the summer, the company raised $ 35 million from Baillie Gifford, a SpaceX supporter.