Saudia eVTOL accord gives Lilium a strategic MENA foothold

Lilium’s effort to market its electric takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) around the world has gotten a boost from a 100-craft deal with Saudi Arabia’s national airline, Saudia – its first foothold in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.

As typically the case in transactions involving next-generation planes that still await certification and production launch, Lilium’s accord with the airline is wrapped in the tentative language of a memorandum of understanding outlining “the proposed development and operation by Saudia of an eVTOL network across Saudi Arabia.” Still, the deal is founded on the carrier’s plans to buy up to 100 Lilium craft as the project advances, which is a significant move unto itself.

Read: Lilium’s annual 400 eVTOL air taxi production goal seeks new funding 

Meanwhile, it also reflects the hardening conviction of yet another international carrier that emerging air taxis and other advanced air mobility…