Supernal eVTOL demonstrator spotted during ground testing
Hyundai subsidiary Supernal’s full-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has been spotted undergoing ground testing in California.
Images taken by a photographer apparently show the aircraft – featuring tilting rotors and four fixed-lift propellers – secured to the ground at the Mojave Air & Space Port.
The eVTOL, thought to be a full-scale technology demonstrator, marks a significant step forward in Supernal’s efforts to develop next-generation air mobility solutions.
Supernal, part of Hyundai’s broader push into advanced air mobility, aims to launch commercial eVTOL services by the end of the decade. This latest testing phase suggests progress towards real-world deployment, as the company competes with other major players in the increasingly competitive urban air mobility sector.
The demonstrator will inform Supernal’s prototype vehicle by “helping to mature and validate vehicle systems, optimise supply chain processes and solidify internal testing protocols”, Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyandai Group (Supernal’s parent company) and CEO of Supernal said in July 2024.
Last summer, Supernal’s SA-2 eVTOL concept made its European debut at Farnborough International Airshow, with the aircraft under development projected to fly in 2026.
Between 2026 and 2028, Supernal will pursue type certification, alongside working with the general public to boost confidence.
“With our ‘right product, right market at the right time’ philosophy, S-A2 embodies critical work Supernal is conducting with fleet operators, suppliers, governments and Hyundai Motor Group to ensure Advanced Air Mobility becomes a safe, economically viable and widespread mode of transportation in the coming decades,” Shin added.
Image shows concept aircraft at Farnborough International Airshow in July 2024.
