Hyundai Motor Group Expands Future Air Mobility Efforts with KAI Partnership

Photo of the Supernal next-generation aircraft 'S-A2' unveiled at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, USA. [Photo=Hyundai]

Hyundai Motor Group is taking aggressive steps to enhance its competitiveness in the future air mobility (AAM) sector by establishing a joint venture with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and significantly increasing recruitment in related fields. This move is seen as a commitment to fostering air mobility as a new growth area following humanoid robots.

According to industry sources on June 24, Hyundai is reportedly discussing plans to establish a joint venture with KAI within this year to strengthen its air mobility business, which it has identified as a key future growth area. The joint venture is a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last month for joint development of future air mobility vehicles.

Both companies agree that higher-level collaboration is necessary to address shared technology, human resources, supply chain and parts ecosystem, mass production systems, and global safety certification. Currently, Hyundai and KAI are jointly developing a five-passenger air taxi.

Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon and KAI President Kim Jong-chul signing a business agreement for the development of Korea's future air mobility (K-AAM) at Hyundai's headquarters. [Photo=KAI]

Hyundai aims to develop powertrains and commercialize AAM, while KAI will focus on aircraft structure development, with the goal of obtaining certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and launching in the U.S. market first. A company official stated, "While the timing for the joint venture's launch has not been finalized, there is a shared understanding that we need to elevate the level of collaboration," adding that discussions on various cooperation methods, including the joint venture establishment, are ongoing.

Hyundai has also been proactive in recruiting talent in the aviation sector. Recently, it appointed Farhan Gandhi, an authority in vertical takeoff and landing aerodynamics, as the Chief Technology Officer of Supernal, accelerating its competitiveness. Gandhi has spent the last 30 years researching rotorcraft and is recognized as an expert in future air mobility.

The company is also beginning to hire experienced professionals with master's or doctoral degrees for roles related to future air mobility development. Positions are available in five areas, including motors for vertical takeoff aircraft, control software, battery charging systems, inverter design, and thermal flow analysis of aviation electrification powertrains, with a recruitment target in the double digits by the end of this month.

The global automotive industry is currently engaged in fierce competition to dominate the urban air mobility market. Wang Dan, Vice President of Xiaopeng Aero, mentioned plans to sell flying cars in the Middle East during the Future Mobility Expo held in Daegu last October. Xiaopeng aims to begin initial deliveries of flying cars by the end of this year and enter full-scale production in 2027. Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda are also investing in future air mobility or developing their own eVTOLs. Industry experts predict that the air mobility market will open around 2030.

Hyundai has identified humanoid robots for commercialization by 2028 and future air mobility as a key growth business by 2030. Market research firm MarketsandMarkets forecasts that the global UAM market will grow to approximately $23.5 billion by 2030. A Hyundai official stated, "We believe that the era of future air mobility will begin after robotics is fully commercialized," adding that the most likely starting point is after 2035.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Oh Jooseok farbrother@ajunews.com