The Lilium Design Philosophy: Safety, Collaboration, and Scalability
Lilium Blog
Lilium’s mission is to build radically better ways of moving and it starts with the Lilium Jet – the first all-electric vertical take-off and landing jet. But our goal is not a proof of concept. Our jet was designed from the start to create nothing less than a revolution in sustainable, high-speed regional air mobility. The foundation of our design is based on the principles of safety, simplicity, and scalability – which means an initial focus for us is the achievement of certification. We’ve known from the start that the FAA and EASA certification processes for eVTOL aircraft would require a safety standard equivalent to a commercial airliner, and that would require a very rigorous process.
That rigorous process is why we have hired some of the most experienced aviation leaders in the industry and a team of 450+ aerospace engineers. Our team has experience going through this tough process and is prepared to do the necessary work to reach the standards of safety and reliability required. And, as our Chief Operating Officer Yves Yemsi noted last November, “there can be no compromise on safety.”
Our rigorous process is also why we engaged early and often (since 2017!) with both EASA and the FAA, and why we were one of the earliest companies whose application for Type Certification was accepted by both authorities. We are also one of only a few eVTOL companies who have received our certification basis (CRI-A01) from EASA, a fundamental milestone in the certification journey.
But we did more than just engage with regulators, we joined industry-led rulemaking committees to contribute our knowledge to the process. We know that true change of complex and interdependent systems doesn’t come from outside the system – it comes from inside. Our goal is not to work against the aviation industry, it’s to work with it, because it takes more than your own team to do something as revolutionary as what we’re trying to do.
To successfully create a revolution in transportation, it requires building not only revolutionary designs, but also investing the time and effort to build trust with regulators and customers, and reliable relationships with suppliers and deployment partners. Which is why I’m excited to be talking to well over 70 suppliers and over 150 guests tomorrow at Lilium’s first annual Supplier Day. We plan to share with them that, based on the current status of our design activities to develop the safest possible aircraft, our discussions with regulators, and even taking into account two years of COVID and the continued global supply chain disruption, we plan to start building our first handful of conforming aircraft – the only type of aircraft that can be used for certification – next year (2023). Upon completion of the conforming aircraft build process we will then spend the following 15-18 months running our final test campaign with the aim of receiving our initial Type Certification in 2025, with scale production of our aircraft set to begin immediately upon certification.
We want our extended team of suppliers to feel confident that they have a partner who understands how important they are. At the end of the day, they’re building more than just an eVTOL with Lilium - they’ll be the force multiplier that gets us to scale and helps to achieve our mission to revolutionize sustainable air mobility for everyone. Given that, if you are interested in joining us on our mission – whether as an employee, or a new city, supplier or partner – we encourage you to reach out.
About Lilium
Lilium (NASDAQ: LILM) is creating a sustainable and accessible mode of high-speed, regional transportation for people and goods. Using the Lilium Jet, an all-electric vertical take-off and landing jet, offering leading capacity, low noise and high performance with zero operating emissions, Lilium is accelerating the decarbonization of air travel. Working with aerospace, technology and infrastructure leaders, and with planned launch networks announced in Germany, the United States and Brazil. Lilium’s 750+ strong team includes approximately 400 aerospace engineers and a leadership team responsible for delivering some of the most successful aircraft in aviation history. Founded in 2015, Lilium’s headquarters and manufacturing facilities are in Munich, Germany, with teams based across Europe and the U.S. To learn more, visit www.lilium.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This communication contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Lilium N.V.’s proposed business and business model, the markets and industry in which Lilium N.V. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Lilium Group”) operate or intend to operate, the anticipated timing of the commercialization and launch of the Lilium Group’s business in phases and the expected results of the Lilium Group’s business and business model, including when launched in phases. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Such statements are based on management’s belief or interpretation of information currently available. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on management’s current expectations with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risk and uncertainties and subject to change at any time. The Lilium Group operates and will continue to operate in a rapidly changing emerging industry. New risks emerge every day. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not rely on or place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding when or whether any strategic collaboration between Lilium, on the one hand, and NetJets, on the other hand, will be effected, the number, price or timing of any Lilium jets to be acquired (or if any such Lilium jets will be acquired at all), the price to be paid therefor and the timing of launch or manner in which any proposed eVTOL network or anticipated commercial activities will operate. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the projections or forward-looking statements.
Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this communication, including, but not limited to, the following risks: (i) the impact of COVID-19 on the Lilium Group’s business; (ii) the Lilium Group’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of its recent business combination with Qell; (iii) the Lilium Group’s ability to maintain the listing of its securities on the Nasdaq; (iv) the market price of Lilium’s securities may be volatile due to a variety of factors, such as changes in the competitive environment in which the Lilium Group will operate, the regulatory framework of the industry in which the Lilium Group will operate, developments in the Lilium Group’s business and operations, and any future changes in its capital structure; (v) the Lilium Group’s ability to implement its business plans, operating models, forecasts and other expectations and identify and realize additional business opportunities; (vi) the Lilium Group’s and its partners’ inability to achieve anticipated specifications for the Lilium jet and any related infrastructure; (vii) general economic downturns or general systematic changes to the industry in which the Lilium Group will operate, including a negative safety incident involving one of the Lilium Group’s competitors that results in decreased demand for the Lilium Group’s jets or services; (viii) the failure of the Lilium Group and its current and future business partners to successfully develop and commercialize the Lilium Group’s business or significant delays in its ability to do so; (ix) the Lilium Group may never achieve or sustain profitability; (x) the Lilium Group will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; (xi) the Lilium Group may experience difficulties in managing its growth, moving between development phases or expanding its operations; (xii) third-party suppliers, component manufacturers or service provider partners are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations or deliver the high-level customer service that the Lilium Group’s customers will expect, and impacts from disruptions in the Lilium Group’s supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic, inflationary pressures or otherwise; (xiii) the Lilium Group’s jets not performing as expected, delays in producing the Lilium Group’s family of jets or delays in seeking full certification of all aspects of the Lilium Group’s family of jets, causing overall delays in the anticipated time frame for the Lilium Group’s commercialization and launch of any or all of the anticipated Lilium jet models; (xiv) the technology necessary to successfully operate the Lilium Group’s jets and business operations is delayed, unavailable, not available at commercially anticipated prices, not sufficiently tested, not certified for passenger use or otherwise unavailable to the Lilium Group based on its current expectations and anticipated needs; (xv) any identified material weaknesses in the Lilium Group’s internal control over financial reporting which, if not corrected, could adversely affect the reliability of the Lilium Group’s financial reporting; (xvi) product liability lawsuits, civil or damages claims or regulatory proceedings relating to the Lilium Group’s jets, technology, intellectual property or services; (xvii) the Lilium Group’s inability to secure or protect its intellectual property; (xiii) any failure of the Lilium Group to agree upon final commercial terms or fail to finalize and enter into definitive documentation relating to any anticipated commercial transactions or strategic alliances with its prospective partners and suppliers, including with NetJets; (xix) that the final terms of any commercial transaction or strategic alliance with Lilium’s prospective partners and suppliers, including NetJets, may differ, including materially, from the terms currently anticipated; (xx) negative publicity about the Lilium Group, its employees, directors, management, shareholders, affiliated parties or Lilium’s founders; and (xxi) currency fluctuation risk related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates from time to time. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Lilium Group assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The Lilium Group is not giving you any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), all of which are available at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Lilium Group or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.