Hyundai Motor Group's Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company presented, on January 9, the S-A2, its product with an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) concept at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2024. S-A2 is confirmation that Hyundai continues to invest in electric aircraft.
The product is based on S-A1, which debuted at CES 2020, bringing together aerospace engineering and Hyundai Motor Group's automotive aesthetic design to create a new mode of urban people transportation. Supernal intends to achieve commercial aviation safety levels and, with this, will allow the manufacturing of its vehicles while preparing to enter the market in 2028, that is, four years from now.
“From the beginning, Supernal has had the mission to create the right product and the right market at the right time,” he said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal. “The reveal of the S-A2 demonstrates our unwavering commitment to fulfilling this mission with a safe and efficient vehicle design that provides a clear path to market entry.”
Technical questions
The S-A2 is a V-tail aircraft designed to cruise at 193 km per hour at an altitude of 1.500 feet to meet the typical needs of urban operations, with distances of 40 to 64 km. It has a distributed electric propulsion architecture and has eight inclined rotors. Upon entry into service, Supernal's vehicle aims to operate as quietly as a dishwasher: 65 dB in the vertical takeoff and landing phases and 45 dB horizontally.
“Supernal’s product concept vehicle is the result of the creativity and hard work of our world-class team. The S-A2 is designed to take full advantage of emerging electric powertrain advancements that will define the next generation of aviation,” said Ben Diachun, chief technology officer at Supernal. “From here, we will develop this concept into a revolutionary commercial product.”
In addition to moving towards certification, mass production and expanded use cases, the company is also focusing on battery capacity.
Design
Supernal engineering teams partnered with Hyundai Motor Group automotive designers on the S-A2's aesthetics, aiming to strike a balance between design and functionality.
“S-A2 is a true representation of ‘auto meets aero’. Drawing on the expertise of Supernal's leading aerospace engineers and Hyundai Motor Group's world-renowned automotive designers to create a human-centered design that maximizes enger experience and safety,” said Luc Donckerwolke, President, Chief Design and creative director of Hyundai Motor Group.
