Meet Supernal — Hyundai's Electric Aircraft to Enter into Service by 2028

Meet Supernal — Hyundai Electric Air Taxi Service Of The Future

South Korean carmaker Hyundai has spun off its Urban Air Mobility division into a brand new company known as Supernal. Supernal is currently developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that it plans to enter into service as an air taxi in 2028. Hyundai's Urban Air Mobility division first surfaced in 2020 at the Consumer Electronics Show in las Vegas, Nevada. At the show, the carmaker revealed the Supernal SA-1, an electric aircraft concept with VTOL and autonomous capabilities.

Global USA The new Supernal LLC draws its name from the first concept and plans to bring the aircraft into production by 2028, with deliveries expected to start at the end of the same year. However, unlike the SA-1 concept vehicle, which features both autonomous and manual flying modes, the production-spec SA-1 is expected to be fully autonomous. Supernal is based out of the capital of the United States — Washington D.C. and in California. Speaking at the announcement of the formation of the new company, Supernal CEO and Hyundai Motor President Jaiwon Shin said, "In adding a new dimension to mobility, we are on a mission to transform how people and society move, connect and live.

We have bold ambitions at Supernal but being first to market is not one of them. We are working to build the right product and the right integrated market, and we will leverage Hyundai Motor Group's scaled manufacturing expertise to ensure AAM reaches the right price point and is accessible to the masses." Ben Diachun, Chief Technology Officer, Supernal had this to say about the new company, "We're developing a commercially viable Advanced Air Mobility product from the start, designing and manufacturing our vehicle to the highest safety, noise, efficiency, and affordability standards. Our growing team, which includes veterans of aerospace, automotive, and other deep-tech industries, is engineering sustainable vehicles that have the potential to evolve how we live, work, and play." Supernal's first aircraft, the six rotor SA-1 will not begin the certification process with the US Federal Aviation Agency till 2024. This is due to the fact that Supernal plans to make its entire fleet of SA-1's capable of fully autonomous flight from the start. Supernal's flying taxi service will not have its first paying customers till 2028 when the electric VTOL aircraft finally starts ferrying customers.

The Hyundai Group hasn't revealed the powerplants that will power the new Supernal electric aircraft. The company is developing both battery and hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicles for everyday use. Thoughts On Supernal With both South Korea and Japan hedging their bets on hydrogen as a fuel for the future, there is a strong chance that the Supernal could go the fuel cell route for its aircraft. However, the company's new 800V architecture setup for the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia EV lineups shows just how seriously the company is taking battery-electric tech as well.

No matter which way the electric power supply battle goes, Hyundai''s Supernal is looking to make the vehicle powered by that tech affordable to a whole lot more people. If that means we can take a Hyundai flying taxi to work sometime in the next decade, we are all for it. Hopefully, this is one dream that does come true.

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