FLYING TAXIS & BIG INVESTORS
Germany's Flying Taxi Startup Lilium Source: Lilium Top Tesla Investor Takes a Stake Tesla's top external investor, Edinboro based Baillie Gifford, has taken a stake in the German air taxi startup Lilium. The investment management firm has invested $35 million, which is a less than 5% stake, in Lilium which vows to be the global leader in the emerging air taxi industry. Flight Tested Lilium has a proven air taxi prototype. Its 5 seat, passenger air taxi took a maiden flight in October 2019 and successfully took-off, flew and landed. The Lilium Jet is an electric, vertical take off and landing vehicle (eVTOL). It takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter. The vehicle is powered by 36 electric jet engines placed in the wings. Competitive Racing for Market Launch With a fresh round of funding, Munich-based Lilium has a market valuation of more than $1 billion. It is racing to bring the eVTOL flying taxi to market....