Hyundai’s Electric Air Taxi Startup Supernal Suspends Aircraft Program

Staff Reporter | PNN:
Hyundai’s electric air taxi startup, Supernal, has suspended its aircraft program. This decision follows months of employee layoffs and the recent resignations of the CEO and CTO.

The company was spun out from the Hyundai Group in 2021. Although it had conducted initial test flights, it was still preparing for its first fully independent experimental flight. The company had planned to launch commercial services by 2028.

CEO Jaiwon Shin and CTO David McBride recently resigned. During this period, Supernal’s Senior Business Development Director, David Rotblatt, is overseeing business operations as interim COO.

The Hyundai Group stated, “With new leadership, we aim to advance urban air mobility (UAM) solutions and take the company’s growth to the next level.”

Analysts note that the electric air taxi industry is still in its early stages, with many startups facing ups and downs. Supernal’s suspension reflects the ongoing volatility in the sector.

The initial test flight was announced in 2024. Shin and McBride had initially described this flight as a “test of technological limits.” However, sudden leadership changes and employee layoffs have led to the program’s suspension.

Supernal and Hyundai Group hope that under new leadership, the startup will be able to achieve its commercial objectives once again.