The next big frontier for technology companies to cross is seemingly how to make aviation more accessible. To many, this seems to revolve around the concept of small-scale passenger aircraft such as VTOLs, and Hyundai has been working hard for years to develop and improve this technology.
In 2020, it showed the S-A1 VTOL at CES, and now, four years later at CES 2024, it has shown its successor, the S-A2 eVTOL. Designed to accommodate a pilot and four passengers, the vehicle is the next step forward to a large-scale commercial debut in 2028.
The S-A2 is said to be capable of cruising at 120 mph at about 1,500 feet altitude. The vehicle is also designed for trips of about 25-40 miles, which means you don’t expect this passenger craft to take you between New York City and London anytime soon. It uses eight fully tilting rotors to generate elevator and propel itself, and is said to be as quiet as a dishwasher in operation, operating between 45-65 dB.
As the S-A2 continues to be improved and works toward safety and passenger certifications, we will undoubtedly see iterations of this vehicle in the coming years, prior to its debut and likely presentation at CES in 2028.