Supernal, the electric aircraft startup under Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), is relocating its headquarters from Washington D.C. to California. According to TechCrunch, about 5% of employees will be transferred to the R&D headquarters in California. South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group is actively establishing a presence in the U.S., choosing to operate high-end private electric aircraft services that are relatively niche, and has confirmed a partnership with Clay Lacy to provide top-tier private clients with a discreet and secure air travel experience.
Supernal will establish its development headquarters in Irvine, California, and its R&D headquarters in Fremont, California. Jaiwon Shin, General Manager of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal, told TechCrunch that this decision aims to enhance communication and collaboration among teams, while the Washington D.C. office will remain the center for policy and regulation. Currently, Supernal has over 700 employees and continues to expand.
What are the features of Supernal Air Taxi?
Supernal is developing the S-A2 concept electric aircraft capable of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and a purified energy ecosystem, intending to integrate with existing transportation infrastructure. The Supernal Air Taxi concept aircraft will debut at CES 2024, moving towards the goal of officially taking flight in 2028.
Supernal and Clay Lacy collaborate on airport air transport infrastructure.
On October 22 this year, Supernal announced a partnership with Clay Lacy Aviation to operate electric aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing at dedicated operational bases. Supernal plans to deliver its first eVTOL S-A2 electric aircraft in 2028, and this partnership accelerates the goal of enabling private electric aircraft to operate in the skies of California.
Supernal and Clay Lacy will develop an end-to-end operational plan to integrate technology into existing airport infrastructure. Clay Lacy is a top-tier private jet service company that provides high-end clients with private takeoff and landing locations, and it is the first fixed-base operator (FBO) in the world recognized by the National Business Aviation Association for its sustainable flight development program.
Bringing electric air taxis to the skies faces many challenges, primarily because regulations for operating air travel are not yet clear. California has not established any regulations or frameworks that would allow air taxis to operate legally. Additionally, aviation must integrate with existing airport facilities, requiring professional personnel to monitor flights, who also need training. Currently, Supernal is collaborating with private aviation service companies to test the waters under unclear regulations and technologies, starting from airports in California to pave the way for future air taxi markets in the United States.
This article reports that Hyundai's electric air taxi Supernal is set to take off in the United States in 2028, first appearing in Chain News ABMedia.