Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudia has made a firm commitment for 50 Lilium Jets, together with options on another 50 of the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles from the German manufacturer.
It firms an October 2022 memorandum of understanding between the two companies; deliveries are slated to begin in 2026.
The new agreement “marks the largest of its kind in the MENA region and represents an important industry milestone as the largest reported firm order of eVTOL aircraft by an airline that plans to operate the aircraft”, the pair say.
“It signals a substantial commitment to electric aviation from a world-leading operator, as well as a clear preference towards the superior performance, economics, and passenger experience expected to be provided by the Lilium Jet.”
Operations of the Lilium Jet will be managed by Saudia Private, a subsidiary of Saudia Group.
“Saudia Group is proud to pioneer the MENA region as the first company to acquire eVTOL jets, which reflects our commitment to continuously reducing our carbon footprint and becoming an industry leader in regional electric aviation,” says Ibrahim Al-Omar, group director general.
“We recognise the critical role that Lilium is positioned to play in enabling us to deliver a sustainable premium aviation experience and transport our guests even closer to their destination. “
The agreement “amplifies our commitment” to the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, he adds, which seeks to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from a reliance on oil revenues.
Lilium chief executive Klaus Roewe, meantime, adds: “The Middle East is a priority for Lilium, and Saudi Arabia will be a very large and exciting market for electric, high-speed regional air mobility.
“Our partnership will combine Saudia Group’s significant market knowledge with our unique eVTOL technology to transform premium class air travel in the GCC region.”
Lilium says it now has an order book of 106 firm orders and reservations, 76 options and “roughly” 600 aircraft under memoranda of understanding. The company also says that it is still on track to launch piloted flight testing “at the end of this year” and for entry into service by 2026.
Late last month, Bavaria-based Lilium said it had completed the first series of tests for its jet propulsion units, noting the engines were taken up to maximum thrust on a test bench, which it terms “an important step towards verifying safety of flight of the Lilium Jet,”. The company did not specify the maximum thrust reached.
Each Lilium Jet will have 30 of the ducted electric vectored-thrust engines – 18 on the wing and 12 on the forward canard. The company has said that the Lilium Jet e-motor will each have a power density of over 100kW from a system weighing just over 4kg (8.8lb).
The German air taxi developer earlier this month reported “significant progress” towards both fundraising and engineering milestones in the first quarter of 2024 as it spent €94.7 million ($102 million).
