Hyundai’s Supernal showcases flying electric car at UK air show

Supernal LLC, the urban air mobility affiliate of South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co., has unveiled the cabin concept of its flying car at a UK air show, providing the first look into how the group is integrating its car technology to develop advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles.

At the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, England, which runs Monday through Friday, Supernal is showcasing its electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft concept, design and related technologies.

Supernal has partnered with Hyundai Motor Group’s design team to create the cabin concept as the company works to certify its eVTOL vehicles for commercial use in the US starting in 2028, and in the EU and the UK shortly after.

Supernal is collaborating with external partners and more than 50 Hyundai affiliates, in business areas spanning automobiles, automotive parts, construction, robotics and autonomous driving, to jointly create the AAM value chain, the company said.

“Hyundai Motor Group is working to leverage synergies between the carmaker’s manufacturing capabilities and high aircraft certification standards to build the foundation for everyday use of passenger and cargo air vehicles,” said Shin Jai-won, president of Hyundai Motor Group and Chief Executive of Supernal.

Shin, a former aeronautics expert who worked at NASA in the US, joined Hyundai in September 2019 to lead the UAM division.

COCOON-LIKE CABIN

Supernal’s five-seat cabin, made of forged carbon fiber to reduce its weight, is ergonomically contoured to offer a cocoon-like environment for passengers, according to Hyundai.

“The Supernal eVTOL vehicle draws on the competence of the Hyundai Motor Group and the skillset of experienced automotive designers, which allowed us to develop a new air mobility concept that is not only safe and rational but also highly emotional,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai Motor Group’s chief creative officer.

While Supernal’s battery-powered eVTOL vehicle is designed for intra-city passenger transportation, the group’s Korea-based unit focuses on developing regional air mobility, based on hydrogen-powered vehicles for cargo and passenger journeys. The Korean unit plans to launch its hydrogen vehicle service in the 2030s.

Supernal, headquartered in Washington D.C., plans to develop air vehicles and provide a transportation system that combines UAM and existing traffic networks. It is also considering operating a ride-sharing platform.

Supernal has been researching air mobility with the City of Los Angeles and Urban Movement Labs.

The company is also cooperating with other countries. It is participating in a project to build an airport solely for UAM vehicles in Coventry, England.

GLOBAL RACE FOR ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

Hyundai’s participation in the air show comes as global automakers and tech companies compete to develop aviation infrastructure for eVTOL aircraft such as autonomous cargo drones and air taxis.

Hyundai aims to bring its UAM vehicles to the market by 2028, as the group is shifting its business focus toward UAM and other future mobility solutions.

Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Euisun, who took the group’s leadership in October of 2020, has said that the automaker will shift its business portfolio breakdown so that automobiles account for just half of its sales, followed by UAM with 30% and robotics at 20%.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.