Supernal, Hyundai Motor Group’s (HMG) Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company, announced the opening of its primary R&D facility in Fremont, California.
This marks the third and final facility Supernal will open in America this year and is officially up and running. The first one was the company’s engineering headquarters in Irvine, California, covering 105,000 square feet (9,754 square meters) and boasting a futuristic design with an aviation theme. The second was its policy and commercial hub in Washington, D.C., covering more than 28,000 square feet (2,600 square meters).
The final one is the company’s 72,000 square-foot (6,689 square meters) facility – located in the Scott Creek Business Park. This is where the company will work with more than 100 employees on battery technology, intelligent systems, and autonomy technology for its future eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing). The Fremont-based teams are working to address the unique challenges and opportunities within battery technology for electric air travel applications.
“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’s battery efforts are crucial to the advancement of its eVTOL vehicle. Established in 2020 as the Urban Air Mobility Division of Hyundai Motor Group, the startup is adopting an “open ecosystem approach” to create lightweight and high-powered batteries that meet commercial aviation’s high safety standards. This involves harnessing in-house talent and helping grow the pool of aviation suppliers in this emerging vertical.
The facility’s diverse workspaces have been strategically planned to accommodate the preferences of current and future workforces, offering various work and interaction options. From spaces for unplanned interactions to an environment that fosters a visible culture of health and well-being, every design feature serves a clear purpose. Areas of respite and a balanced mix of individual and collaborative spaces underline the company’s dedication to both creativity and efficiency.
The Korean company has kept the technical details of its future air taxi under wraps. It is working on an ambitious mobility ecosystem that goes beyond just an all-electric aircraft. Supernal plans to interconnect air taxis with autonomous ground-based vehicles, creating a futuristic transportation network.
