Supernal, the Hyundai Motor Group flying taxi company that laid off a majority of its staff earlier this year, said it’s seeking to jump-start operations under its new chief technology officer.
Farhan Gandhi, who served as a distinguished professor of aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, has assumed the CTO role, according to a May 4 announcement.
Where this leads remains to be seen, since the layoffs hindered the aircraft’s development.
A Supernal spokesperson provided some details on the electric-powered, vertical-take-off-and-landing project to the Business Journal on May 5, following Gandhi’s appointment:
– Supernal is now a “CTO-led organization.”
– The company is moving forward with a focus on technical rigor and capital discipline.
– Supernal has “no updates to share regarding a CEO at this time.”
Supernal currently operates with a core team of experts in Irvine focused on its next-generation aircraft concept.
“Our long-term goal remains the delivery of a safe, certified, and commercially viable eVTOL aircraft.”
– “Supernal’s immediate focus is on building a robust technical foundation and proprietary design guides that will support our future aircraft. We are currently evaluating multiple partnership opportunities and refining our internal technical requirements.”
– “While we are in a period of focused internal validation, we look forward to sharing more significant updates regarding our technical progress later this year.”
80% of Staff Laid Off
The 296 layoffs in February in Irvine, Fremont and Mojave represented 80% of the company’s workforce, leaving fewer than 80 workers. News reports say the company was funded with about $1.7 billion from Hyundai of South Korea.
The layoffs raised questions about the company’s viability in the increasingly crowded and risky flying taxi sector.
The aircraft, which can carry about four passengers, can hover like helicopters, thus eliminating the need for runways. Once underway, they can transition to flying like airplanes.
Supernal was established in 2020 as Hyundai Motor Group’s Urban Air Mobility Division. Its prototype vehicle was the S-A2, a four-passenger aircraft designed to cruise at 120 miles per hour with an initial range of 60 miles.
The new CTO has more than 30 years of experience in rotor-propelled aircraft.
“I am incredibly excited to join the Supernal team at such a pivotal moment in our journey,” Gandhi said in the statement. “My focus will be on accelerating our technical vision and ensuring we operate as a high-efficiency, intellectual engine for aircraft development.”
