Lilium partnered with software giant Palantir to launch electric private jets

According to foreign media reports, Lilium, a German electric flying taxi startup, has partnered with software giant Palantir to launch an electric private jet.

Under the partnership, Palantir will provide Lilium with software related to complex vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jets.

Headquartered in Munich, Lilium is one of the most investor-backed companies in the industry, including Tencent, international private banking and asset management group LGT. The company is developing on-demand air taxis and plans to put them into use by 2025.

According to foreign media reports, the jets provided by Lilium are far from today's private jets. The plane is 100% electric and uses electric turbines rather than the propellers more commonly used in other electric prototypes currently being tested.

In early August last year, foreign media reported that Brazilian airline Azul planned to reach a business agreement and strategic alliance worth 1 billion US dollars with Lilium. As part of the commercial agreement, Lilium will provide Azul with 220electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Last year, it was reported that Lilium planned to go public through a reverse merger with special purpose buyout firm Qell Acquisition Corp. The company will raise $830 million through a combined listing to support its bet on small electric aircraft that can avoid traffic jams on congested urban roads.