Are flying taxis back? UK startup secures $850m runway despite sector struggles
23 apr. 2026
08:15
Electric air taxis were once the hottest bet in clean transport – until Lilium collapsed, Volocopter sold for scraps, and investor patience ran out.
Vertical Aerospace, one of the few still standing, has now secured an $850m lifeline. Here is what the deal actually means.
Vertical Aerospace, one of the few still standing, has now secured an $850m lifeline. Here is what the deal actually means.
Vertical Aerospace has closed an $850m financing package, giving the Bristol-based electric aircraft maker enough capital to pursue regulatory certification through 2028.
The funding has arrived against a grim sector backdrop. Lilium, which had raised more than $1bn, filed for bankruptcy in late 2024 after failing to secure loan guarantees from the German government. Volocopter sold its assets in March to a Chinese-owned firm for close to $11m – a fraction of the $70...