Lilium selects Honeywell thermal system for its eVTOL aircraft

Air mobility company Lilium selected Honeywell to provide its thermal management system for the all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Lilium Jet. Lilium selected Honeywell’s MicroVCS (Vapor Cycle System) to optimize cabin cooling and manage the aircraft’s electric battery temperatures, both critical functions for enabling more efficient and sustainable flight.

Honeywell and Lilium will partner to integrate the system into the Lilium Jet, which will also feature Honeywell Anthem Avionics, Honeywell-DENSO electric motors, and Honeywell flight controls.

“In our collaboration with Honeywell, we’ve tapped into the numerous advantages of the MicroVCS, reinforcing the synergistic value with a single, innovative supplier providing multiple subsystems for the Lilium Jet,” said Lilium COO Yves Yemsi. “Honeywell’s innovative subsystems offer a renewed perspective on aerospace possibilities.”

Honeywell’s MicroVCS high-speed, oil-free centrifugal compressor technology allows the system to be 22% lighter than conventional screw or scroll compressor-based vapor cycle cooling systems. This weight savings avoids 9,900 lb. of CO₂ emissions per year in an advanced air mobility aircraft (for a ducted, vectored thrust eVTOL vehicle, with an effective lift-drag ratio of 16, flying 4,000 hours per year, and being charged from a U.S. power grid).

Additionally, the MicroVCS uses Honeywell Solstice zd refrigerant, with an ultra-low Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1, which is 99.9% lower than R-134a used in competitor systems. Honeywell Solstice zd provides 10% better hot-day power efficiency than the legacy R-134a refrigerant when used in an equivalent refrigeration cycle (based on hot day of 40°C = International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) conditions + 25°C).

“The MicroVCS is a ready-now solution that embodies Honeywell’s dedication to creating a more sustainable future for air travel,” said Dave Shilliday, Honeywell vice president and general manager, Advanced Air Mobility. “This technology is a great fit for Advanced Air Mobility vehicles, but its versatility also enables it to be seamlessly integrated into other applications, such as business aviation and defense aircraft.”

Honeywell’s close partnership with Lilium shows its continued dedication to developing solutions that herald a more sustainable and advanced future for aviation.