(Hyundai Motor Group)
South Korea’s auto giant Hyundai Motor Group and Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) have teamed up to develop advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies.
Hyundai Motor Group announced on Sunday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KAI at its Seoul headquarters on Friday to jointly develop future air mobility solutions.
The goal is to combine Hyundai Motor Group’s electrified powertrain technology with KAI’s aircraft development expertise.
Under the agreement, the two companies will cooperate broadly not only in technology and human resource sharing, but also in supply chain management, aviation certification, and customer networks.
The development of the AAM aircraft itself will be led by Supernal, Hyundai Motor Group’s U.S.-based air mobility subsidiary, while the electrified powertrain system will be jointly developed by Hyundai Motor Group and KAI.
The latest partnership carries symbolic significance as it restores cooperation between the two companies after a 10-year hiatus.
When KAI was established in 1999, Hyundai Motor Group participated as a major shareholder through Hyundai Space and Aircraft Co.
However, in 2016, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, then vice chairman, sold the group’s 10 percent stake in KAI, saying that the company would focus on its core automotive business, effectively ending the shareholder relationship.
Industry observers say the renewed partnership reflects the alignment of strategic interests between the two sides.
Supernal recently recruited Farhan Gandhi, a globally recognized expert in vertical takeoff and landing aerodynamics, as its chief technology officer (CTO).
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