Lilium has started assembling the electric propulsion system (EPS) it has developed for its six-seat eVTOL aircraft. The German company reported the milestone on September 26, a week after announcing that its partner Aciturri is building the first fuselage for one of seven Lilium Jet prototypes with which it intends to begin crewed test flights in late 2024.

The distinctive EPS design is based on 30 ducted-fan electric engines installed in the aircraft’s wings and canard. In the first phase of assembly, rotating parts—such as the shaft, magnets, and titanium compressor fan—are built and then mated with static components, including the electric motor stator and the guide vanes used for structural support and cooling.