Vehicles of tomorrow move step closer to takeoff

In July, Supernal unveiled its eVTOL vehicle cabin concept, providing a glimpse of the passenger compartment in its upcoming intracity air shuttle.

This model has five seats and a lightweight structure made from forged carbon fiber. Each ergonomically contoured seat features a control center based on the design for consoles found in traditional cars.

There is a charging port and small storage compartment for individual passengers. The overhead lights mimic a car's sunroof, while adjusting during different phases of flight.

Supernal said it is certifying the eVTOL for commercial use in the US, starting in 2028, and plans to launch the flying vehicle in Europe soon afterward.

It will be just one electric air vehicle in a "family" planned by Hyundai, which is busy creating a hydrogen-powered, mid-sized flying vehicle for inter-city cargo and passenger shuttle services.

Last year, General Motors, or GM, unveiled a flying car that featured a 90-kilowatt motor powering an ultra-lightweight body with four pairs of rotors.

This autonomous single-passenger model can travel at speeds of up to 90 km/h, the carmaker said. However, it added that flying taxi services will not be in commercial use until 2030, as the sector needs to overcome regulatory and technical hurdles.

Pamela Fletcher, former vice-president of GM's global innovation team and now chief sustainability officer at Delta Air Lines, said: "It's a very nascent space. There's a lot of work to be done on the regulatory side, as well as the technology side."

She is not exaggerating. To date, no eVTOLs worldwide have been granted type certificates, which show that aviation authorities have accepted an aircraft's design.

After this process, which may take years and millions of dollars to complete, other credentials are required, such as airworthiness certificates, before the vehicles can take to the air.

Gary Gysin, CEO of flying car designer and producer Wisk, which is based in the US, said the sector lacks regulations.

"Globally, we're finding that many countries are still figuring out what eVTOLs and urban air mobility regulations look like," he said.

Analysts said flying cars are first likely to take to the air commercially in the US and European countries, where the general aviation industry is well developed. General aviation refers to civil aircraft operations, with the exception of commercial airlines.