Lilium, a German start-up with Silicon Valley-scale ambitions to put electric "flying taxis" in the air next decade, has hired Frank Stephenson, the designer behind iconic car brands including the modern Mini, Fiat 500 and McLaren P1.
Lilium is developing a lightweight aircraft powered by 36 electric jet engines mounted on its wings. It aims to travel at speeds of up to 300km/h, with a range of 300km on a single charge, the firm has said.
Founded in 2015 by four Munich Technical University students, the Bavarian firm has set out plans to demonstrate a fully functional vertical take-off electric jet by next year, with plans to begin online booking of commuter flights by 2025.
It is one of a number of companies, from Chinese car maker Geely to US ride-sharing firm Uber, looking to tap advances in drone technology, high-performance materials and automated driving to turn aerial driving - long a staple of science fiction movies like Blade Runner - into reality.
Stephenson, 58, who holds American and British citizenship, will join the aviation start-up in May. He lives west of London and will commute weekly to Lilium's offices outside of Munich. His job is to design a plane on the outside and a car inside.
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Famous for a string of hits at BMW, Mini, Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and McLaren, Stephenson will lead all aspects of Lilium design, including the interior and exterior of its jets, the service's landing pads and even its departure lounges.
"With Lilium, we don't have to base the jet on anything that has been done before," Stephenson told Reuters in an interview.
"What's so incredibly exciting about this is we're not talking about modifying a car to take to the skies, and we are not talking about modifying a helicopter to work in a better way."
Lilium is developing a five-seat flying electric vehicle for commuters after tests in 2017 of a two-seat jet capable of a mid-air transition from hover mode, like drones, into wing-borne flight, like conventional aircraft.
The jet, with power consumption per kilometre comparable to an electric car, could offer passenger flights at prices taxis now charge but at speeds five times faster, Lilium has said.
Nonetheless, flying cars face many hurdles, including convincing regulators and the public that their products can be used safely.
