German company sees the Philippines as the launchpad for ASEAN’s “flying cars”

MANILA: Lilium, a German air mobility company, is considering establishing its first Southeast Asian operation network for its all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the Philippines.

Tuesday afternoon at the Singapore Airshow, Lilium and the local aviation services business PhilJets will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a strategic collaboration aimed at bringing eVTOL, or the “flying cars,” to the Philippines and other ASEAN countries.

“Our strategic partnership with PhilJets will expand our footprint even further in Asia, bringing the Lilium Jet to Southeast Asia. The Philippines is well-suited for eVTOLs to effectively connect thousands of islands together through sustainable and high-speed air mobility,” Lilium chief commercial officer Sebastien Borel said.

In addition to the Philippines, Lilium hopes to introduce the “flying cars” to Cambodia, according to Borel.

As per the MOU, PhilJets plans to purchase ten Lilium aircraft initially.

“Our team is proud to collaborate with Lilium on the mission to transform the Philippines’ mobility with eVTOLs. With its growing economy, geography and important tourism industry, the Philippines is a great match to the Lilium Jet’s capabilities,” PhilJets chairman Thierry Tea said.

Tea continued, saying that the goal of the nation’s eVTOL effort was to reduce carbon emissions despite the company’s expanding operations.

“Innovation in aviation is gaining traction among regulators, urban planners and industry leaders of worldwide economies. Providing efficient connectivity to customers while reducing carbon emissions is a major focus for air transport operators such as PhilJets,” he said.

In addition to designating the Philippines as Lilium’s launchpad for eVTOLs in Southeast Asia, the two businesses will collaborate to create a future service that involves defining routes, city pairings, and passenger demand jointly for an on-demand eVTOL offering in the area.

Along with identifying prospective landing locations, requirements, and partners, they will also provide vertiport standards, find local vertiport partners, and grant access to Lilium’s current network of charging hardware suppliers.

From February 20 to 25, the Philippines will take part in the 2024 Singapore Airshow at the Changi Exhibition Centre, showcasing its own pavilion at one of the world’s leading aviation industry shows.

The Philippines’ aviation pavilion, with the theme “One PH Aviation: Together We Fly,” is sponsored by Berthaphil Clark, the Asian Business Aviation Association, and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.