Lilium has started producing advanced, aviation grade battery packs that will power the Lilium Jet for its first piloted flight, targeted for the end of 2024. This important milestone comes after extensive testing of battery pack components from individual cells to stacked levels with a focus on performance, safety and regulatory compliance. Lilium’s unique battery packs are made of lithium-ion cells with silicon-dominant anodes that will allow for higher energy, power and fast charging capabilities than graphite anode cells. Leading automakers like Mercedes, Porsche and GM plan to incorporate silicon anode technology into their premium electric vehicles. Lilium’s battery packs are being designed to meet EASA’s stringent aircraft safety requirements regarding shock resistance, heat resistance, containment and redundancy. They are also being designed to deliver outstanding power and energy density to support a business model focused on regional rather than urban air mobility. Lilium has secured comprehensive intellectual property rights for its unique battery technology.

The Lilium Jet battery packs are being assembled at Lilium’s purpose-built battery factory located at Lilium’s headquarters outside Munich, with the aid of new generation digital tools that enable process control, efficient data collection and traceability. Lilium has been supported in the design of the assembly line and initial production ramp up by suppliers with extensive experience in battery industrialization, especially in the automotive sector.

Yves Yemsi, COO of Lilium said: “The start of production of the battery packs is a proud moment for Lilium. Battery technology is central to the goal of delivering sustainable regional air mobility, including overcoming the challenges of developing and industrializing a battery pack that will meet the stringent safety standards of aircraft certification. With the start of production of the Lilium Jet’s unique high-performance aircraft battery packs, Lilium has laid a further cornerstone towards realizing the vision of electric aviation.”

The first units off the battery assembly line will be used for verification testing ahead of the Lilium Jet’s first piloted flight. Each Lilium Jet aircraft will be equipped with ten independently functioning battery packs that are designed to enable safe flight and landing, even in case of failure of any single battery pack.