Currently reading: Hyundai to launch five-seat autonomous aircraft in 2028

Korean brand solidify urban air mobility ambitions with Supernal leadership

Hyundai’s flying taxi concept will make its inaugural passenger flight in 2028, with the firm creating the Supernal brand to spearhead its ambitions.

Supernal will be based in the United States with the goal of developing a four or five-seat, autonomous, electric-powered eVTOL, an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

It previously showed its first eVTOL concept, the SA-1, at CES in Las Vegas last year. 

The company’s first production flying vehicle - which Supernal hopes will improve urban travel - will be electrically powered, have autonomous capabilities and will accommodate four to five passengers. 

Alongside the development of the eVTOL vehicle, Supernal is working with private and public stakeholders to bring Advanced Air Mobility technology to the market.

Last year Supernal partnered with Urban-Air Port, a UK start-up company that is currently building a dedicated eVTOL landing hub in Coventry which it hopes to open in 2022. 

“In adding a new dimension to mobility, we are on a mission to transform how people and society move, connect, and live,” said Jaiwon Shin, chief executive officer of Supernal and president of Hyundai Motor Group. 

“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.”

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Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips
Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website. 

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport. 

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

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si73 10 November 2021
@FastRenaultFan, whilst I am sure it could be made safe, for whatever reason, for me, of all autonomous forms of transport, flying is the least appealing.
Agree though, fair play to Hyundai.
xxxx 10 November 2021

Pie in the sky, there's a reason why most commercial planes have 2 pilots capable of flying.  And what's the eletric range? 

FastRenaultFan 10 November 2021
@Si73

It would be much safer than an autonomous car. Flying after all is safer than driving.
I am sure by 2028 they will have ironed out all the kinks and to that other poster . A human can not act quicker than a computer. Yes we have out feelings and our instincts as well as the will and want to live but lots of accidents are also caused by humans. I think on autonomous flying vehicle would be no worse than a human flying it if programmed right it could even be better and safer. I for one can not wait for. I think it's great and fair play to Hyundai for being so ambitious to do this.