- UrbanLink’s agency buy order of 20 Lilium Jets, with an choice for 20 extra, contains scheduled pre-delivery funds.
- The settlement marks a important aviation milestone as UrbanLink turns into the primary airline within the U.S. absolutely dedicated to integrating eVTOL plane into its fleet.
- UrbanLink will start operations with a regional community connecting cities in South Florida.
Lilium N.V. (NASDAQ:LILM), developer of the primary all-electric vertical take-off and touchdown (“eVTOL”) jet and international pioneer in Regional Air Mobility (RAM), at this time introduced their partnership with superior air mobility (AAM) operator UrbanLink to function Lilium Jets in South Florida. As a part of the settlement, UrbanLink will buy 20 Lilium Jets, with scheduled pre-delivery funds, and develop into the primary airline within the U.S. absolutely dedicated to integrating eVTOL plane into its fleet.
Newly launched, UrbanLink is led by Ed Wegel, a seasoned airline government with 40 years of expertise in financing, operations, and distribution. Wegel has raised greater than $1 billion for aviation ventures and led FAA certifications for 2 U.S. Half 135 airways and a number of other U.S. Half 121 carriers, together with reaching the 2014 certification of Jap Air Strains’ 737-800 fleet in a record-breaking eight months. Most not too long ago, Wegel served as CEO & Founding father of GlobalX, America’s fastest-growing constitution airline. Wegel has additionally served as a board member for personal and public airways together with Atlantic Coast Airways, BWIA Worldwide Airways, and Jap Airways. He was additionally a key developer of JetBlue’s preliminary marketing strategy.
Wegel mentioned, “Whereas many airways have mentioned the potential of working eVTOL plane, none have made a definitive dedication. UrbanLink would be the first airline within the U.S. to combine eVTOL plane into its fleet. We are devoted to revolutionizing the best way individuals transfer to and from in addition to inside city cores. After thorough analysis of assorted producers, we discovered the Lilium Jet to be the optimum alternative for our wants, due to its superior cabin design, vary, capability, and cost-effectiveness.”
Lilium’s partnership with UrbanLink marks a important milestone in accelerating the adoption of AAM in South Florida. UrbanLink’s entry into the area contains plans to make the most of the community of Florida vertiports that Lilium and its companions have diligently labored on over the previous 5 years.
UrbanLink sees eVTOLs as a key driver of sustainable regional connectivity throughout South Florida. The Lilium Jet, with its deliberate launch vary, is poised to meet this imaginative and prescient by linking main cities akin to Miami, West Palm Seashore, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale, extending seamlessly throughout the peninsula to Marco Island. The service launch is focused for 2026.
Sebastien Borel, Lilium’s Chief Business Officer, mentioned, “We’re proud that UrbanLink has chosen the Lilium Jet for its community and operations. It is a enormous milestone, not just for Lilium, however for the commercialization of eVTOLs within the U.S. We consider that this buy of eVTOL plane is the primary by a business operator that isn’t invested within the producer that it’s buying from. It is a signal that the marketplace for eVTOL plane has matured and there may be rising demand for plane that may present connections between, moderately than simply inside, cities. I do know that Ed has the imaginative and prescient and operational experience to make regional air mobility successful.”
This order follows the beginning of meeting of the primary Lilium Jet on the finish of final 12 months with the primary piloted flight take a look at of the Lilium Jet focused to happen in late 2024.
