Lilium and its partners aim to launch a network of eVTOL air services connecting communities across the French Riviera. Starting in 2026, flights in the four- to six-passenger Lilium Jet are expected to operate between Monaco, Nice, Sophia Antipolis, Cannes, Saint Tropez, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille.
On Tuesday at EBACE 2024, the German manufacturer announced a partnership with Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur and Italian infrastructure group UrbanV. Lilium said it is in discussions with several existing aircraft operators that have shown interest in acquiring Lilium Jets to serve the affluent communities in the south of France, which attract around 11 million visitors each year.
The partners are planning to develop vertiports at multiple locations, starting with Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, which has a throughput of 14 million passengers per year, as well as Cannes Mandelieu Airport and Golfe de Saint-Tropez Airport. They are also evaluating options in Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and Sophia Antipolis.
This week, UK-based aircraft management and charter group Volare Aviation firmed up a purchase agreement under which its eVolare division is to acquire and operate up to 16 Lilium Jets. The company signed a binding agreement covering the first four aircraft and has placed reservations on an additional 12 units.
Sealed at EBACE, the deal amends a provisional agreement announced in December 2022 that had called for eVolare to acquire up to 20 aircraft, with 10 firm orders and 10 options. From its base at Oxford Airport, eVolare mainly intends to provide flights in and around the London area and southern England with the four-passenger Pioneer Edition of the Lilium Jet.
“Lilium’s ecosystem for eVTOL operations is fantastic; between their support and services organization, Lilium Power-On, their regulatory support with authorities, and their experience with ground infrastructure development, we fully trust Lilium to be the best eVTOL partner, and it led us to the purchase of four Lilium Jets,” said eVolare founder Dustin Dryden. The company plans to manage aircraft for private owners and offer ad hoc charter and scheduled services.
As Lilium firms up plans for its aircraft to enter service in 2026, it has expanded its partnership with business aviation services group Luxaviation. On Wednesday, the company announced its ExecuJet network of FBOs will be equipped to support battery recharging, starting with its locations in Europe and further sites in the Middle East to be included later.
Following its recent acquisition of Sky Valet, there are now 141 ExecuJet FBOs worldwide. One of the locations earmarked for eVTOL operations is at Aix-en-Mille, near Aix-en-Provence, where ExecuJet has a partnership with French engineering and construction firm EDEIS.
The group has tasked its Sigma Air Mobility business unit to take the lead in the Europe-based group’s ambitions to decarbonize operations. “Luxaviation has the expertise, size, and global presence to further the green agenda, and we set ourselves objectives advancing towards green business aviation,” said the group’s CEO, Patrick Hansen. “Luxaviation is leading from the front in identifying and supporting green aviation initiatives at their FBOs and in leveraging new technology like the Lilium Jet.”
Also at the EBACE show in Geneva, Lilium unveiled a full-scale mockup of the Lilium Jet and demonstrated how the aircraft's 30 ducted electric vectored thrust engines tilt on the wing and canard to transition from vertical flight to horizontal cruise. The exhibit also showed the aircraft's electric recharging system, which CEO Klaus Roewe explained has the same format as current electric car equipment.
On Tuesday, Lilium signed a licensing agreement with Dedienne Aerospace, which will produce tooling to support manufacturing of the Lilium Jet. The French company's network of service centers will also be involved in providing product support for Lilium operators.