World first: EIT Climate-KIC supported Lilium's zero emissions electric plane takes off

The world's first zero-emissions electric plane, developed by Lilium, a start-up supported by EIT Climate-KIC, has taken to the skies. Lilium's aim is to design the world’s fastest and highest-range commercially available electric aircraft. The two-seater light aircraft is made of carbon fibre, has 36 jet engines powered by several thousand Lithium-Ion batteries, consumes half the energy of today’s most efficient electric cars and even has a parachute as the ultimate safety back-up.