Lilium Partners with InoBat for High-Volume Production of eVTOL Battery Cells

Lilium has announced an extension of its partnership with InoBat, focusing on the production of high-performance battery cells for Lilium Jet, the all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

InoBat will manufacture Lilium Jet battery cells at its existing Volta I plant and the upcoming Volta II gigafactory in Voderady, Slovakia. Volta I production is set to commence in early 2024, with Volta II boasting a production capacity of up to 4 gigawatt hours (GWh). This capacity is expected to far exceed Lilium’s battery cell requirements in the foreseeable future. InoBat’s 25 percent ownership by Gotion High-Tech, a major supplier for the Volkswagen Group, will bring additional resources and manufacturing expertise to enhance capacity at the Volta II plant.

Lilium’s participation in InoBat’s Series C investment round solidifies its commitment, ensuring the retention of intellectual property rights in Lilium Jet’s battery technology. Third-party testing campaigns on prototype Lilium battery cells have demonstrated the cutting-edge technology’s energy capacity, power, and cycle life.

Yves Yemsi, COO of Lilium, expressed satisfaction with advancing towards high-volume production of Lilium Jet battery cells, emphasizing the company’s commitment to best practices and a strategy involving multiple cell suppliers. InoBat’s Co-Founder and CEO, Marian Bocek, highlighted the alignment of Lilium’s vision with InoBat’s core strategy in the global electric vehicle market.

Steven Cai, Board Member and CTO at Gotion High-Tech, underscored their aim to contribute to a carbon-neutral world through the partnership with InoBat, anticipating a significant role in delivering high-performance electrical power to Europe’s eVTOL industry.

Related:

• Lilium To Sell eVTOLs with EMCJET in Texas
• Lilium begins eVTOL Jet fuselage assembly with Aciturri

In other recent partnership news, Lilium and Michelin have announced they’ve teamed up to produce custom tires for the Lilium Jet. Michelin tires are said to offer best-in-class weight efficiency, and they are specifically designed to facilitate safe vertical take-off and landing operations. The first tires are expected to be delivered to Lilium facilities this month.

Why it’s important: This continuation aligns with Lilium’s multiple-sourcing strategy for cell production and aims to secure a reliable supply of battery cells for the Lilium Jet’s service entry and subsequent years. Gotion High-Tech is one of the world’s top 10 manufacturers of battery cells, supplying Volkswagen Group with Unified Cell that covers the majority of VW group’s future battery demand. Teaming with a known reliable supplier is instrumental in Lilium’s successful production at scale.