It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s an…air taxi?
That’s what one German start-up is trying to bring to NYC (and the world), as soon as 2025.
According to their website, Lilium is developing an air taxi that will “revolutionize the way we travel.” Its pioneering design allows for vertical take-off and landing (like a helicopter), 36 all-electric engines (instead of wings), and can fit up to four passengers along with a pilot.
A demo shows an Uber-like app, which customers can download on their phones. When they open it, the app will use location services to determine the closest “landing pad” to you. Then you’ll enter your destination, and it will let you know your estimated flight so you can book (the sample shows a user going from downtown Manhattan to JFK, which will take 6 minutes!). Though it sounds like it could get expensive fast, they say “you’ll enjoy prices that are competitive with today’s travel options.” They even say, “We want to be clear: traveling with Lilium is not just for the wealthy few.”
The jets will be able to travel up to 300km (186 miles) in just 60 minutes. They say the service will be available in various cities around the world by 2025. According to their timeline, they are currently in a third funding round, during which they have secured $275 million in investment.
And, according to CNBC, one of those investors is also one of Tesla’s top investors.
Watch a video of a recent flight test of the futuristic jet here:
Pretty wild!
See also: This Airline Is Testing Out Bunk Beds In Economy Class Flights To New York
featured image source: Instagram / @liliumaviation