German air taxi firm Lilium says reaches 250 kph in testing

Full-size mock-up of an electrically powered Lilium Jet air taxi presentation
A full-size mock-up of an electrically powered Lilium Jet air taxi is seen in a presentation bay inside a hangar at the German company’s headquarters in Oberpfaffenhofen airport outside Munich, Germany, December 2, 2022. REUTERS/Tim Hepher

PARIS, March 9 (Reuters) - German air taxi developer Lilium Air Mobility (5KD.F), said on Thursday it had reached a maximum speed of 250 kilometres per hour with a technology demonstrator, calling it a key milestone on the way to certifying its electrically powered flying shuttles in 2025.

The threshold was reached during testing of the Phoenix 2 vehicle at a flight test centre in southern Spain, the company told Reuters after posting a teaser video on social media.

Lilium is competing in a crowded market for electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles, hoping to replace road trips or short hops by aircraft or helicopters.

It plans a cruise speed of 250 km or 155 miles per hour.

Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Kirsten Donovan

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