The future of the Bavarian air taxi manufacturer Lilium seems secure for the time being. A consortium of several investors has saved the company from impending insolvency proceedings and is setting the course for the further development of the revolutionary project with a new company. As part of the takeover, the operating assets of the previous Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAircraft GmbH will be transferred to the new Lilium Aerospace GmbH, in which around 750 of the approximately 1.000 employees will continue to be employed. However, the transition from Lilium to the new company is not going entirely smoothly, as a recent media report reveals.
Investors have so far invested 200 million euros in the project to save the company from complete collapse and to advance the completion and approval of the flying taxi. This financial injection is necessary to realize Lilium's ambitious plans and to continue to pursue the vision of a market-ready flying taxi. The intended approval of the eAircraft is to take place in the coming years, although the company will continue to rely on support from investors to advance development.
The transition to the new company was completed at the beginning of the year, but as has now become known, there was a delay in salary payments in January. According to a report by WirtschaftsWoche, salaries for January were outstanding until early February. Lilium informed its employees in advance by email about the delayed payment, which was justified by the "complexities of the transfer". This incident casts a shadow on the smooth implementation of the transition process and shows how difficult it is to restructure such a complex company. Despite the delay, the company has stressed that all payments should be made up shortly, which led to a certain reassurance among employees.
The financial restructuring of Lilium is now in the hands of a consortium that includes the investment company DTM of the Slovakian battery entrepreneur Marian Bocek, the company CustomCells and various German investors. The group has committed to supporting Lilium with further financial resources and aims to get the company back on track quickly. In particular, the development of the eAircraft, an electric aircraft that is to be used as a flying taxi, is to be further advanced.
Before the bankruptcy, Lilium had already received considerable financial resources from investors. The largest investors included customers and investors, who had invested a total of around 1,5 billion euros in the company. The company itself was listed on the US Nasdaq stock exchange until the bankruptcy filing, which gave the brand additional international prestige. With the support of the new consortium, not only the completion of the flying taxi, but also the certification and approval of the aircraft are to be pushed forward.
Lilium has already developed promising plans to scale up its production and launch an urban air mobility network. The company is focusing on developing a so-called "vertical take-off" aircraft that will be used in urban environments both as a taxi and for short-haul flights. Lilium is one of a group of companies worldwide that have set out to conquer the market for air taxis and the air mobility of the future.
However, the challenges Lilium is currently facing should not be underestimated. Aircraft approval and safety, as well as the manufacturing costs for the highly developed aircraft, are a major challenge for those responsible. The pressure on the company is growing as competition in this future market is constantly increasing. In addition, the delay in salary payments could shake the confidence of employees and partners in the quick and efficient implementation of the company's plans. Nevertheless, Lilium remains a promising company that could continue to play a central role in the development of the aviation industry.
The transition to the new company is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, according to the investor consortium. However, there are still open questions about the exact timing, as the company itself has acknowledged risks in the schedule. The coming year will be crucial for the future of Lilium - a company that could play a key role in the global competition for the future of air mobility.
Overall, the case of Lilium shows how quickly the aviation industry is changing and how much new technologies are challenging traditional economic models. The company is at a turning point: it must not only overcome its financial challenges, but also turn its innovative ideas into reality. The coming months and years will show whether Lilium can pave the way for flying taxis and establish itself as a pioneer in the future of urban air mobility.
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