总部位于慕尼黑的航空公司Lilium开发了全电动垂直起降（eVTOL）飞机用于区域空中机动性，该公司完成了由Baillie Gifford进行的新一轮3500万美元的融资，该投资因投资于高影响力的技术公司而闻名例如Amazon，Tesla，Airbnb，Spotify和SpaceX。迄今为止，这已筹集的资金总额超过3.75亿美元。

Lilium, the Munich-based aviation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for regional air mobility, closed a new funding round of $35 million from Baillie Gifford, known for investing in high-impact technology companies such as Amazon, Tesla, Airbnb, Spotify and SpaceX. This brings the total funding collected to date to more than $375 million.

三个月前，Lilium已经从包括Atomico，Freigeist，LGT和腾讯在内的现有投资者那里获得了2.4亿美元的额外资金，后者领导了这一轮投资。这些资金加在一起，将支持Lilium Jet的进一步开发以及为Lilium新建成的制造工厂中的批量生产做准备。

Three months ago Lilium had received $240m in additional funding from existing investors including Atomico, Freigeist, LGT and Tencent, who led the investment round. Combined, these funds will support the further development of the Lilium Jet as well as underpinning preparations for serial production in Lilium’s newly-completed manufacturing facilities.

Lilium由Daniel Wiegand（首席执行官），Sebastian Born，Matthias Meiner和Patrick Nathen于2015年共同创立，设计并制作了Lilium Jet原型飞机，这是一种新型飞机，将使它能够以比以往更快的速度提供区域性旅程铁路或公路，但价格具有竞争力。示范飞机于2019年首飞，是一架五座全电动飞机，可以垂直起降（eVTOL）。 Lilium希望通过将社区连接起来而满足传统的高速基础设施成本的一小部分，并实现零排放，从而满足庞大的全球市场需求。

Co-founded in 2015 by Daniel Wiegand (CEO), Sebastian Born, Matthias Meiner and Patrick Nathen, Lilium has designed and prototyped the Lilium Jet, a brand-new type of aircraft that will enable it to deliver regional journeys that are considerably faster than rail or road, yet competitive in price. The demonstrator aircraft first flew in 2019 and is a five-seater, fully-electric aircraft that can take-off and land vertically (eVTOL). Lilium expects to service a sizeable global market demand by connecting communities at a fraction of the cost of conventional high-speed infrastructure, with zero operating emissions.

2016年，首席执行官丹尼尔·韦根（Daniel Wiegand）报告说，该公司已经完成了名为Dragon的3D打印的1：5原型原型。该原型完全采用3D打印，甚至到了风扇，都可以在测试后快速重建。因此，Dragon是所有初始软件测试和有趣飞行的首选原型。这种1：5比例模型也是第一个使用Lilium Jet的最终设计概念演示从悬停到巡航模式以及返回的无缝过渡飞行的原型。

In 2016, CEO Daniel Wiegand reported the company had completed a 3D printed 1:5 prototyped, called Dragon. This prototype was entirely 3D printed, even down to the fans, which makes it quick to rebuild after tests. Accordingly, the Dragon was a go-to prototype for all initial software tests and fun flights. This 1:5 scale model was also the first prototype to demonstrate seamless transition flights from hover to cruise mode and back using the final design concept of the Lilium Jet.

Lilium Jet的全3D打印Dragon原型

该公司现已进入最终生产，已经完成了新的生产设施，这是朝着准备进行Lilium Jet的批量生产迈出的重要一步。第一个制造厂位于公司总部，占地3,000平方米，不久将由第二个更大的工厂进行补充，该工厂已经在同一地点建造。结合起来，它们将支持Lilium在2025年开始商业服务之前每年生产数百架飞机的目标。增材制造有望成为量产Lilium Jet上许多最终用途零件的关键生产解决方案。

Now moving into final production, the company has completed a new manufacturing facility, an important step towards preparing the company for serial production of the Lilium Jet. The first manufacturing facility, a 3,000 square meter space located at the company’s headquarters, will soon be complemented by a second, much larger, facility which is already under construction at the same site. Combined, they will support Lilium’s aim of producing hundreds of aircraft a year by the time commercial services begin in 2025. Additive manufacturing is expected to be a key production solution for a number of end-use parts on the mass produced Lilium Jet.

Lilium首席财务官ChristopherDelbrück在评论新投资时说：“ Baillie Gifford是全球最具影响力的技术投资者之一，他们对Lilium的承诺代表了对我们实物产品和商业案例的重大信任。我们希望与Baillie Gifford紧密合作，力争早在2025年将无排放的区域性航空运输带入市场。在这一轮融资中，我们获得了安全的资金，可以度过我们周围以及周围充满挑战的经济形势。我们非常感谢能够继续专注于我们的使命。”

Commenting on the new investment, Christopher Delbrück, Chief Financial Officer, Lilium, said: “Baillie Gifford is one of the world’s most influential tech investors and their commitment to Lilium represents a significant vote of confidence in both our physical product and our business case. We look forward to working closely with Baillie Gifford as we seek to bring emissions-free, regional air mobility to the market as early as 2025. The funds raised during this round give us the security to weather the challenging economic landscape we see around us and we’re grateful to be able to stay fully focused on our mission.”

文章来源：3dprintingmedia