Hyundai's Flying Dishwasher: The 2028 Air Mobility Dream!
My dear fellow speedsters and skyward adventurers! It's your friendly neighborhood automotive, aero, and maritime journalist, here to tickle your funny bone with the latest scoop on Hyundai's electrifying endeavor to conquer the skies. Strap in, because we're about to take a ride in the world of eVTOLs that promise to revolutionize your commute.
Picture this: it's 2028, and you're stuck in traffic. Again. But this time, instead of cursing your fate, you glance up and see a futuristic contraption zipping through the air, as quiet as a mouse with a guilty conscience. Welcome to the world of Supernal, Hyundai's eVTOL division, and their dazzling S-A2 concept.
Supernal isn't new to the eVTOL game; they teased us with a prototype back in 2020. Back then, they were talking about joining Uber's flying taxi extravaganza. Fast forward to today, and the air taxi industry has more twists and turns than a telenovela, with Hyundai unveiling a new "product concept" set to rock the skies.
The less-than-impressively named S-A2 boasts a cruise speed of 120 mph, making it faster than even fastest commuter trains and way way faster than any highway during the morning rush. It can reach an altitude of 1,500 feet, which is roughly the height of nearly five Statues of Liberty stacked on top of each other (for our metric-loving friends, that's about 457 meters). It's got enough battery juice to cover 25-40 mile trips, which is perfect for whisking wealthy business folks from downtown to the airport. After all, who wants to deal with traffic when you can just fly?
Noise reduction is the new name of the game here, folks. While a typical helicopter roars at a whopping 96 to 107 decibels, Supernal's eVTOL will emit a modest 65dB during takeoff and landing and just 45dB while cruising. Who would've thought that besides saving the planet, electric aircraft could also save our eardrums?
You might remember some of these eVTOLs as "flying cars" back in the day. They could take off vertically like a helicopter and then transition to horizontal flight. But the industry has grown up, and now they prefer terms like eVTOL, urban air mobility, and air taxis. It's like they've traded in their leather jackets for three-piece suits!
Before you start planning where to park this futuristic phoenix, there’s just one small detail - regulatory approval. Supernal might have Hyundai's production prowess at its back, but it won't be getting any special treatment from the FAA. They'll have to jump through hoops, do the regulatory cha-cha, and get three types of certification before they can offer their services to us common folks: type certification, production certification, and air carrier certification. It's enough to make your head spin faster than the rotor blades!
We all know the Achilles' heel of electric flight - the batteries. Thankfully Supernal is tackling this issue head-on (figuratively speaking), focusing on developing batteries that can shed weight faster than I can shed sarcasm. The power-to-weight ratio is the secret sauce, and they're here to prove that short hops and regional flights are their forte.
Now, let's talk style. Supernal's interior design is as clean and minimalistic as a Zen garden. With fine leather upholstery and ambient lighting, it's like stepping into a luxury lounge. But folks, let's not forget, it's still an eVTOL, not a five-star hotel in the sky. Keep your expectations grounded.
Did you know that Hyundai isn't the only automaker dreaming of conquering the skies? Stellantis, the owner of Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge, is teaming up with Archer Aviation to mass-produce air taxis. Even legacy airlines like United and Delta are looking to the electric skies. Boeing and NASA, too, are throwing their hats (or should I say, propellers) into the ring. And then we have the Chinese XPeng not with one but two personal eVTOLs coming to the market very soon. It's an aviation extravaganza up there!
Folks, there’s no other way to put it - the skies are about to get a whole lot more exciting. Hyundai's Supernal is gearing up to bring us the eVTOL of our dreams, promising a quieter, cleaner, and faster mode of transport. But let's not forget, the road to regulatory approval is a bumpy one, and there's still a lot of ground – or should I say, sky – to cover. So, fasten your seatbelts, keep an eye on the horizon, and get ready for the future of urban air mobility. It's going to be a wild ride!
