Electric flights on the rise World's first public airport-to-airport flight with eVTOL

In aviation, electric drives are not yet really seen as a competitor to conventional engines due to the weight of the battery. But now an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft) has set a historic example.

Aviation is not lacking in visions, but it does lack practical breakthroughs. One of these has now been achieved: In July 2025, the VX4 electric vertical take-off aircraft from British manufacturer Vertical Aerospace completed the world's first public airport-to-airport flight by an eVTOL. The all-electric aircraft took off vertically, flew horizontally and landed vertically again. Manned, wing-carrying and emission-free.

A signal flight for urban air mobility

What at first glance appears to be a symbolic PR stunt is actually a milestone. The flight is a touchstone for the British aviation regulator CAA and a signal to the European EASA. With its "Flightpath 2030" strategy, Vertical Aerospace wants to electrify urban short-haul flights and bring them to market maturity. The flight shows that the path to certification is not only technically feasible, but also regulatory. Technically, the VX4 is based on a tilt-rotor configuration. It combines the advantages of a helicopter during take-off with the efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft in cruise flight. With a range of around 160 kilometers and a speed of around 240 km/h, the eVTOL is suitable for point-to-point connections.

The German eVTOL industry in a sell-off

While some are celebrating, others are being sold. Although Volocopter and Lilium were once considered the beacons of hope for the German air cab industry, both companies are now on the verge of collapse. Volocopter filed for insolvency in December 2024 and is now being sold to the Chinese group Wanfeng for around 10 million euros. Lilium also filed for insolvency in October 2024 after state aid failed to materialize. On December 24, 2024, the company seemed to have been rescued by the investor consortium Mobile Uplift Corporation, which promised over 200 million euros in fresh capital. But hope was short-lived: in February 2025, Lilium had to file for insolvency again as the promised funds did not materialize. A massive failure for the former vision of a regional electric air cab.

Industry cooperation and development prospects

Vertical Aerospace relies on strong partners. Together with Honeywell, the company is developing safety-critical components such as flight controls and avionics. Another project is running in parallel. A hybrid VTOL with a range of 1,000 miles for logistics and defense applications. The technology is modular and the fields of application are diverse. Vertical Aerospace is economically stable. The company was able to reduce its operating losses in the first quarter of 2025. This was partly due to positive valuations of existing financial liabilities. The VX4 is approaching market maturity and the company is positioning itself as a pioneer in a growing market segment. The public test flight between two airports is a signal with far-reaching implications. It shows that electric vertical take-off aircraft are no longer a distant vision. There are still hurdles to overcome - in terms of battery technology, infrastructure and approval. But the VX4 proves that eVTOLs are well on the way to becoming part of regular air traffic. (mr)