Image Credit: Lilium
New research from aerospace company Lilium has found that 71% of the UK population believe it is time for sustainable air travel.
A survey of 1000 respondents, conducted by insight agency Opinium, found that 74% of respondents are concerned with aviation’s impact on pollution and climate change, and 60% expressed concern with traffic congestion, noise, and damage to rural environments.
German company Lilium presented its findings ahead of the Farnborough Airshow yesterday where the UK government announced it will invest £103 million in funding greener aerospace technologies.
“These figures demonstrate the growing enthusiasm for cleaner forms of aviation as members of the public become more concerned about carbon emissions, noise pollution, congestion and damage to the environment,” Lilium’s Chief Commercial Officer Sebastien Borel told Zag Daily.
In Wales and the West Midlands, 77% and 80% of respondents respectively expressed concern with the aviation sector’s damage to rural environments, two findings that are higher than the national average.
80% of respondents from London said they were concerned with air travel’s impact on pollution, with the capital hosting four of the five busiest airports in the country.
eVTOL appetite
Lilium told Zag that one in five respondents said they had an understanding of eVTOL technology. Of those respondents, 59% expressed interest in using eVTOL aircrafts if they were made available to them.
“We know that for much of the public eVTOL is an unfamiliar term, and that is reflected in these numbers. However, as we start to see Lilium Jets take off from locations around the world, we absolutely expect that public awareness, and enthusiasm, will continue to grow.”
Lilium’s research found cost, convenience of access, and comfort to be the three most cited factors for selecting a mode of transport by respondents. According to the manufacturer, operators of the Lilium Jet will be able to charge approximately $2 per kilometre due to high utilisation and payload of the aircraft.
“Additionally, with the largest cabin in the industry and a jet that can land in and takeoff from city centres, we expect that our shuttle operators will be able to create a highly-accessible product for their passengers.
“Fundamentally, we are now at a point where fast, clean, and accessible transportation is about to become a reality, and Lilium will be delighted to play our part in meeting the expectations of a British public who want the very best.”
