Lilium has hired Frank Stephenson as chief designer. According to the Munich-based air taxi startup, he is one of the world's most renowned and influential car designers.
Frank Stephenson is by no means an unknown quantity. In the past, he was responsible for the design of cars such as the BMW X5, the New MINI, the Ferrari F430, the Maserati MC12, and the McLaren P1. Now he's leaving the automotive industry to join Lilium. The company, which now employs over 100 people, is developing electric-powered aircraft for use as taxis. Lilium CEO and co-founder Daniel Wiegand commented on Stephenson’s appointment:
“It is a sign of Lilium’s leadership in this space that someone of Frank’s caliber is joining us.”
Stephenson explains his move to Lilium as a search for a new challenge:
"My last job was already the highest level you can possibly achieve in the world of automotive design. The obvious question was—what's next? That wasn't easy for me to answer at first. And then this amazing company came along—and it immediately felt like the right next step."
Lilium jet took off a year ago
In an earlier Interview with Munich Startup Wiegand described Lilium’s vision:
"We want to use it both in urban areas and between cities. With today's batteries, a range of around 300 km is possible. This would be a good way to connect a region like Bavaria and essentially turn it into a metropolis: From Munich, you can reach most of Bavaria in half an hour."
Lilium completed its first successful test flight a year ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohig71bwRUE
Much earlier, the startup was able to attract the investor Frank Thelen and the investment company Atomico of Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström to get involved. Last year, a 90 million euros completed Series B financing round.
