Toray Industries of Japan said it had won a contract to supply carbon fibre composite materials for a ‘flying car’ to be produced by Germany’s Lilium.
Toray said Munich based Lilium was developing an all electric, vertical take off and landing aircraft designed to deliver clean, regional air mobility by 2025.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The five seat aircraft was being designed to travel up to 300km (200mph) in less than an hour, powered by electric motor driven rotors.
Lilium was established in 2015 by current chief executive officer Daniel Wiegand.
The Japanese company said such ‘air taxis’ could help reduce traffic congestion, noise and air pollution in crowded cities.
It confirmed a number of companies around the world were in the process of developing airframes and operational systems while governments were also working on regulatory framework to support this growth.
Toray carbon fibre composite materials will be used for the fuselage, wings, rotor vanes and other structural components, ensuring the Lilium Jet will be as lightweight as possible.
The company is positioning itself as a key supplier of advanced lightweight materials for the air taxi segment.
