After recently revealing plans to have a flying taxi station ready for action in Florida midway through the decade, eVTOL startup Lilium has expanded on this vision, signing an agreement to build a network of at least 10 so-called vertiports across the state. This network will connect major cities in the area, according to the company, as it imagines transporting folks quickly and efficiently using its all-electric Lilium Jet.
We’ve been tracking the progress of Lilium’s flying taxi since the company first emerged in 2016, and have seen the aircraft make its maiden flight, achieve freeway speeds in testing and pull off some banked turns. Ultimately, the team behind the five-seat Lilium Jet says it will travel at cruise speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph) and be capable of traveling 300 km (186 mi) on each charge.
There is a lot of research, development and testing to play out before we see the futuristic aircraft hit those sorts of heights, but the company is nonetheless intent on moving the pieces into place in time for a proper lift off. Lilium announced last November that it has planned its first vertiport for Orlando, Florida, which will function as a passenger station for folks to hop in and out of its flying taxis.
Today’s announcement expands on this, with the company partnering with Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial to build out a network of at least 10 vertiports in Florida. These will be built in “strategic locations” in “all major cities,” with the first location in South Florida to be announced in the coming US springtime.
“Our strategy to bring high-speed transportation networks to an entire region is being brought to life in Florida, and Ferrovial is the ideal partner with their unrivalled expertise in airport construction and operations around the globe,” says Dr. Remo Gerber, Chief Operating Officer, Lilium. “Nearly all 20 million Floridians will live within 30 minutes of our vertiports and the 140 million annual visitors to the Sunshine State will have a high-speed option available to travel to their destinations.”
Source: Lilium
