We’re a step closer to the future the Jetsons promised us all as the electric air taxi startup Lilium gave a successful liftoff to its five-seat electric jet. Flying cars here we come?
As The Verge reported, the Lilium air taxi comes equipped with 36 electric jet engines, which tilt up for takeoff and can supposedly propel the little plane at speeds up to 186 miles per hour. Lilium also says its new jet will be able to travel 186 miles on a single charge.
In 2017 Lilium showed off its smaller, two-seater, but this larger jet should have enough space to actually transport both people and their luggage.
The company released a video of its new jet lifting off and landing, and while that may not sound like much, it’s a big first step.
The new jet is still in early stages, but the company said it hopes to have a fully functional air taxi service up and running by 2025. It’s worth noting that there are air taxi services that, while pricey, aren’t entirely out of reach the way, say, a private jet trip is.
But as Lilium’s chief commercial officer told The Verge, the German company is trying do implement a large shake up to an already disrupted area. “(The business model) includes an app-based, on-demand feature where customers can book a flight via a smartphone app , ala Uber. Think midtown Manhattan to JFK International Airport in under 10 minutes for $70.”
And you’d get to fly in a cool self-driving jet to boot. Now, if someone can just come out with a foodarackacycle we’d have it all.