Lilium Announces IPO and Unveils its 7-Seat eVTOL Jet

Lilium has officially announced its intention to list on Nasdaq through a merger with Qell Acquisition Corp., a transaction that values the combined company at approximately $3.3 billion pro forma equity value at the $10.00 per share PIPE price. Simultaneously, the company revealed the development of its 7-Seater electric vertical take-off and landing jet, which employs proprietary Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust (“DEVT”) technology, and is projected to deliver the best unit economics, with market-leading capacity, low noise and high performance. Lilium’s vision is to create a sustainable and accessible mode of high-speed, regional transportation. The Munich-based company is building a transport network and service for people and goods around its 7-Seater Lilium Jet, an electric vertical take-off and landing jet, which offers impressive capacity, low noise, and high performance. The 7-Seater Jet has a projected cruise speed of 175 mph at 10,000 feet and a range of 155+ miles, including reserves. It is the culmination of five years of technology development across four generations of technology demonstrators, including Lilium’s full-scale 5-Seater. Furthermore, Lilium received CRI-A01 certification basis from EASA for the vehicle in 2020. Qell Acquisition Corp. (“Qell”) is a publicly listed special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, and is focused on developing next-generation, sustainable mobility under the leadership of Barry Engle, a former president of General Motors North America. Upon closing of the transaction, the company will be called Lilium, and it is anticipated that ordinary shares will be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LILM. The combined company is expected to receive approximately $830 million of gross proceeds from a fully committed common stock PIPE offering of $450 million, along with approximately $380 million cash held in trust, assuming minimal redemptions of Qell’s existing public stockholders. To date, Lilium has secured approximately $200 million of commitments from infrastructure partners, including Ferrovial and Tavistock Development Company. Up to 14 vertiports are already planned in Florida. Lilium is also in advanced discussions with key infrastructure partners for 10 vertiports to build a network across Europe. Related: Lilium to Announce Air Taxi Hub Coming to South Florida this Spring Why it’s important: This announcement marks a significant milestone for Lilium, as the proceeds from the merger and public offering will be directed toward serial production and commercialization of the 7-seater Jet. Working in partnership with world-leading aerospace, technology and infrastructure partners, commercial operations are planned to launch in 2024. Notably, Lilium is betting on a vertical integration approach to invent urban air mobility, an approach that Dean Donovan calls “risky” in a recent editorial first published via Forbes. Source // Lilium press release