Saudi Arabia receives the first flying taxi from the deal to purchase 100 electric aircraft from Lilium Company
Saudi Arabia receives the first flying taxi : The Saudi Group and the German company Lilium, developer of the first fully electric eVTOL vertical take-off and landing aircraft, have concluded an agreement to purchase 50 confirmed Lilium Jets, with an option to purchase 50 more, in the largest purchase order for aircraft of this type, which is considered a taxi. Electric plane or flying taxi.
Saves guests time by approximately 90% compared to other transportation options
The signing ceremony was held today (Thursday) at Lilium’s headquarters in Munich, in the presence of the Director General of the Saudi Group, Engineer Ibrahim Al-Omar, the German Ambassador to the Kingdom, Michael Kindsgrabe, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lilium, Thomas Enders.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Fahd Al Jarbou, CEO of Saudia Private Aviation, and Klaus Roy, CEO of Lilium, and comes on the heels of the memorandum of understanding concluded between the two sides in October 2022, and represents a milestone in the industry as it is the largest confirmed order for eVTOL aircraft.
Saudi Airlines, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, is preparing to use flying taxis as a new method during the Hajj seasons, as the flying taxi will transport passengers between King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah and hotels in Mecca.
The General Director of Corporate Communications at the Saudi Group and its official spokesman, Engineer Abdullah Al-Shahrani, spoke to Al-Arabiya.net, saying: “The electric plane Lilium is one of the first eVTOL vertical take-off and landing aircraft that operates entirely on electric power, and after completing the necessary arrangements, these planes will fly with the guests of God during Hajj and Umrah seasons from King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah to the airstrips in hotels in Mecca, and it will transport four to six passengers.
Al-Shahrani said: “The Lilium aircraft is characterized by a low rate of carbon emissions and is an environmentally friendly aircraft, which makes it one of the possibilities for sustaining air travel and shortening the time of flights, as it covers a maximum distance of 250 km.”
Al-Shahrani explained that “Saudi Arabia” will work to “support Lilium by providing all the necessary regulatory approvals to operate this type of aircraft in the Saudi market.”
Electric “flying taxi” to avoid traffic jams
Called Volocity, similar projects are being studied in Paris and Singapore, those responsible for this project promised to transport passengers from the airport to the city center within twenty minutes, without polluting emissions, at a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour.
In light of the spread of potholes on the roads of the Italian capital and the stifling traffic congestion, a project to establish an electric “flying taxi” in the next three years may provide an ideal solution for those wishing to move as quickly as possible from central Rome to Fumicino International Airport.
This is at least what was stated in a joint statement issued by the German company Volocopter, which designed the vehicle, the operator of the Italian capital’s airport, ADR, and the holding company for transport infrastructure, Atlantia.
