Hyundai Flying Vehicle Company Opens Research Facility

A Hyundai flying car development company is opening a research and development facility in Fremont, California, to focus on developing battery technology for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles.

This is the third facility opened this year by Supernal, which is part of the Hyundai Motor Group Advanced Mobility Company, following the opening of an engineering headquarters in Irving, California, and a policy and commercial hub in Washington, D.C. 

Supernal is taking an open ecosystem approach to developing lightweight, powerful batteries for electric aerial vehicles (EAV).

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“Batteries are the linchpin of advanced air mobility and critical to powering the next generation of flight, which we see as everyday electric air travel,” said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal. “Fremont, with its vibrant tech ecosystem, offers a robust talent pool that will enable Supernal to continue advancing the power and energy capabilities of safe aviation-grade batteries.”

Supernal is working to create an advanced eVTOL vehicle aimed at working within transit systems.

The EAV reportedly could take someone from Heathrow Airport to London in 14 minutes, compared to more than an hour by car.

Related:Hyundai Flying Taxi Leans on Car Design

Supernal is working with various partners, including Honeywell, Microsoft and BAE Systems on various elements of its electric aerial vehicles.

The new Supernal California facility is one of a number of eVTOL research and development complexes opening around the world.

For example, a testing center to develop eVTOL vehicles just opened by Xpeng Aeroht in Foshan, China. 

Xpeng Aeroht is a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Xpeng, Inc., and is believed to be the largest flying car company in Asia.
Also, Joby Aviation recently announced the building of a facility in Dayton, Ohio, to deliver up to 500 eVTOL vehicles a year, Brazilian commercial aircraft company Embraer is building a production facility for eVTOL crafts and Volatus Infrastructure has teamed with Ace VTOL to build vertiports for EAVs to take off and land in Australia.