The Munich start-up company wants to bring an electric air taxi onto the market shortly and needs a government loan guarantee. But there will be nothing from the federal government. The consequences are open.
The electric aircraft pioneer Lilium does not receive any support from the federal government. According to information from the German Press Agency, the traffic light coalition’s housekeepers have rejected a guarantee of 50 million euros. According to reports, the Greens in particular were against it, the SPD and most recently the FDP would probably have agreed. The Bayerischer Rundfunk had previously reported on it.
The start-up company is working on a fully electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi. The first flight is scheduled to take place in early 2025, and the first machines are scheduled to be delivered to customers in 2026. But that costs a lot of money; Around 200 million euros were spent in the first half of 2024 alone. So far, the company, which is listed on the US stock exchange Nasdaq, has been financed by around 70 investors.
SPD householder Dennis Rohde said: “Germany cannot afford for future industrial jobs to disappear. That’s why we as the SPD would have liked to provide state support for this climate-neutral future technology. Unfortunately, there was no majority in the current coalition for this economic policy conviction .”
The Bavarian cabinet decided in September to grant Lilium a loan guarantee of 50 million euros – but on the condition that the federal government contributes in the same way.
Lilium employs around 500 aeronautical engineers and already has customers with over 700 firm and pre-orders for its electric air taxis in the USA, Great Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and many other countries. A company spokesman said: “France has promised us significant funding if we open a second location in southwest France.”
Source: Stern
