Private aviation customers in the Middle East will get their first glimpse of the special Pioneer Edition version of Lilium’s eVTOL aircraft at next week’s Dubai Airshow. The German manufacturer and its new authorized dealer in the region, ArcosJet, will jointly display a cabin mock-up of the four-seat version of the all-electric Lilium Jet, which is expected to carry six passengers in commercial operations when it enters service in 2026.
Dubai-based ArcosJet has been an aircraft broker since 2014 and has exclusivity for sales of the Lilium Jet to private owners in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Cyprus. It is the fifth international dealership for Lilium, which has previously appointed EMC Jet in Texas, Volare Aviation in the UK, Air Dynamic in Switzerland, and ASL Group in the Benelux countries. ArcosJet has paid an undisclosed “commitment fee" to Lilium but has yet to say how many of the aircraft it plans to order.
The Lilium Jet features 30 ducted electric motors fitted in its wing and canard. Its range is expected to be 250 kilometers (155 miles). Lilium says the Pioneer Edition's "operating range at launch" will allow it to carry four passengers up to 175 kilometers (109 miles) at speeds of up to 250 km/h.
In recent weeks, Lilium has started assembling the first full-scale prototype and its propulsion system. The company expects to achieve a first flight in 2024.