Defunct electric aircraft startup Lilium’s tech lives on over at Archer

Electric aircraft startup Lilium, which ceased operations in 2024 after raising over $1 billion and going public in 2021, has had its core technology acquired by Archer Aviation. Despite multiple restructuring attempts, Lilium filed for insolvency, leading a bankruptcy administrator to auction its assets. Archer won the competitive bid with an €18 million ($21 million) offer for all 300 of Lilium’s patents, outbidding competitors including Joby Aviation and Ambitious Air Mobility Group. Lilium had been developing a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of speeds up to 100 km/h and had secured notable investors and customers, such as Tencent and a 100-jet order from Saudi Arabia, but ultimately ran out of cash before delivering a product. Archer’s acquisition of Lilium’s patents adds critical eVTOL technologies to its portfolio, including high-voltage systems, flight controls, ducted fans, and advanced aircraft design, expanding its intellectual property to over