German electric air taxi developer Lilium has strengthened its management and engineering teams with a series of appointments from Airbus and Audi.
Lilium was founded in 2015 and is designing, manufacturing and planning to operate the Lilium Jet, an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, in urban areas.
The Lilium Jet has an estimated range of up to 300km (186 miles) and a maximum speed of 300km/h (186mph). The two-passenger aircraft’s propulsion system consists of three electric motors and a series of ducted fans set into 12 flaps that move to transition it from vertical to horizontal flight.
The company has previously said it plans to launch its air taxi service in 2025. However, at a conference in Amsterdam last month it said it was considering an earlier date to start operations. The first successful flight of a prototype by the company happened in April 2017.
Lilium has appointed Mirko Reuter as its head of autonomous flight. Reuter was formerly head of automated driving at Audi, where he oversaw development of all automated driving functions, vehicle platform technologies and future vehicle concepts.
Jakob Wäschenbach, formerly head of equipment installation at Airbus, is joining Lilium as head of aircraft assembly to lead the industrialization of the Lilium Jet. In addition, Rochus Mönter is joining the company as general counsel and head of legal. He also joins from Airbus, where his last position was vice president of finance and lease. Mönter will shape the legal structure and further establish Lilium’s legal department.
Daniel Wiegand, chief executive of Lilium, said, “We are delighted to welcome such a high caliber of new team members that will bring a wealth of expertise in key strategic areas to our growing company and further enable our vision.”