FutureFlight
Lilium Targets Premium Private Travelers Through eVTOL Alliance with NetJets
The agreement marks a shift in the German eVTOL aircraft developer's advanced air mobility business model as it prepares to bring the Lilium Jet into commercial service by 2024.
Lilium's eVTOL aircraft will operate from vertiports.
NetJets could add 150 special four-seat premium versions of Lilium's eVTOL aircraft to its fractional ownership fleet. (Image: Lilium)

The Lilium Jet eVTOL aircraft—which represents a mode of transportation widely billed as a force for democratizing air travel—might not seem like an obvious fit for NetJets' private aviation service. But recent discussions between the company that introduced the world to fractional ownership of aircraft and the eVTOL pioneer convinced Lilium to shift its business model from one entirely founded on rideshare shuttle flights booked on an app toward some more exclusive options.

Last week, NetJets agreed to add 150 Lilium Jets to its fleet of high-end business aircraft. Under a memorandum of understanding, the U.S.-based group has secured purchase rights for the all-electric model, which could be operated by NetJets and its affiliates. The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2024, offering a range of 155 miles at speeds of up to 174 mph.