Michelin has announced it will develop and produce the tyres for Lilium’s all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet.

The partnership will see Michelin provide design, serial production and support services to Lilium, with the first tyres expected to be delivered this month.

The tyres will offer best-in-class weight efficiency to align with Lilium’s payload objectives and have been specially designed for vertical take-off and landing operations.

“The Michelin tyres designed for the Lilium Jet is truly one-of-a-kind and a major advancement in this critical aviation component,” said Sophie Bréchoire, President of the Michelin Group aeronautic activities. “It marries the challenge of lightweight construction for eVTOL aircraft with the renowned quality and reliability of Michelin aircraft tyres. This collaboration, which will introduce new standards in durability for aircraft tyres, is a perfect illustration of the group’s strategy of supporting the transformation of aviation to make it more sustainable.”

Klaus Roewe, CEO of Lilium, added, “We are proud of the innovation and development work completed alongside Michelin that has culminated in this agreement. This critical component, which will help to mobilize and operate our jet at our required specifications and performance levels, serves as a confirmation of our unrelenting pursuit of innovation and sustainability in regional air mobility.”

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