German startup to offer electric 'air taxis' by 2025

German startup firm Lilium announced last week the maiden flight of its all-electric pilotless jet-powered 'air taxi' which it hopes to operate in various cities around the world by 2025.

The five-seater prototype could face skies crowded with competition, as other startups and giants like Airbus, Boeing or Uber are also tinkering away on their own projects -- with an eye on transforming urban transport.

Visitors watch a prototype of the first air taxi, the eVTOL - electric vertical take-off and landing Jet - of the company Lilium during the trade fair Digital Summit in Nuremberg, southern Germany on December 4, 2018. [File photo: AFP]

But with challengers' rotor-powered fliers offering only a limited range, Lilium believes its jet-style aircraft can set itself apart from the pack.

While it can take off vertically like a helicopter, it also sports wings for horizontal flight, allowing a top speed of 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour and a range of 300 km.

Both Airbus and Boeing's models have a range of up to 50 miles.

Controlled from the ground, the Bavaria-based firm's test vehicle first flew in Munich at the start of May -- although Lilium did not say exactly how long it was airborne.

"While a maiden flight is always a moment of truth for a business, the jet performed exactly as expected and responded well," said Leandro Bigarella, Lilium's head of flight test in a statement.

The five-seater jet follows on the heels of the firm's two-seater prototype, which successfully flew in 2017.

Lilium hopes to offer "on-demand air taxi service" in "various cities around the world by 2025", with trials beginning sooner.

Visitors watch a prototype of the first air taxi, the eVTOL - electric vertical take-off and landing Jet - of the company Lilium during the trade fair Digital Summit in Nuremberg, southern Germany on December 4, 2018. [File photo: AFP]

Believing they'll encounter "demands for urban air travel that is quiet, safe and environmentally positive," the company will offer an app to let passengers find nearby landing pads for a flight they claim will be "comparable in price with a taxi, yet four times faster".

Offering a larger cabin than competitors is key, with five seats making for "an economy of scale you just can't achieve with two," said co-founder and chief executive Daniel Wiegand.

Air taxi hopefuls will also have to hack through a forest of regulations, safety concerns and public skepticism to build a sustainable business.

But the US-based Aerospace Industries Association predicted in March that with future artificial intelligence at the controls, the aircraft "will be a part of everyday commutes" by 2050.