CUSTOMCELLS to produce high performance lithium-ion battery cells for Lilium’s seven-seater eVTOL aircraft
Lilium has partnered with CUSTOMCELLS to manufacture at scale the lithium-ion batteries for its seven-seater eVTOL aircraft, which will play a crucial role in ahead of a planned commercial launch in 2024.
CUSTOMCELLS, who also supply international aviation, automotive and military customers, including Porsche AG, will be one of Lilium’s suppliers. It will industrialise the battery cells for high-quality series production at its facility in Tübingen, Germany and together with partner and equipment Manz AG, it says it offers one of the most modern battery cell production lines in Europe.
Daniel Wiegand, Co-Founder and CEO of Lilium said: “With their extensive experience of designing and producing customised high-performance Li-Ion batteries for automotive and aviation applications, CUSTOMCELLS is an ideal partner to manufacture aerospace-quality battery cells for our jet.
“They have already set up manufacturing of silicon anode batteries for several of their customers. We are excited to be working alongside another next generation company like CUSTOMCELLS.”
CUSTOMCELLS will join Lilium’s roster of world-class suppliers, including Toray Industries, Aciturri, Lufthansa Aviation Training, Honeywell and Palantir. It will also sit alongside infrastructure leaders, such as the Tavistock Development Company, and Ferrovial, a leading airport operator, which will support the development of up to 14 vertiports in Florida.
Last month, CUSTOMCELLS also announced the launch of a joint venture with Porsche, named Cellforce Group, which will produce high-performance silicon-anode batteries at its Weissach Development Centre.
Leopold König, Co-Founder and CEO of CUSTOMCELLS said: “On the basis of flexible manufacturing concepts, CUSTOMCELLS guarantees high-tech solutions for special applications and tailor-made production of electrodes, electrolytes and battery cells with an outstanding quality and traceability approach, depending on the customer’s requirements profile.
“This partnership will bring two leading German innovators together and underlines the strength of the German manufacturing and tech ecosystem.”
When operational, the Lilium Jet will have a projected cruise speed of 175mph at 10,000ft and range of more than 155 miles plus reserves.
The aircraft is the culmination of five years of technology development across four generations of demonstrators, including its full-scale five-seater eVTOL aircraft. Lilium applied for concurrent type certification for a high-capacity aircraft with EASA and the FAA in 2018. In 2020, the 7‑Seater Lilium Jet received CRI-A01 certification basis from EASA.