Outside of modern air travel, the concept of flying taxis gliding on airborne roadways has always been slightly too futuristic for mankind’s reach. However, that reality may be closer than you think, as Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan recently referenced flying taxis in her State of the City Address when referencing future innovations.

“And don’t think we haven’t started discussing flying taxis,” she said. “We’re not there yet, but we’re having those discussions today in preparation for tomorrow.”

Yet, while no one can predict the future, Hyundai Motor Group is looking to deliver flying taxi technology to the masses by 2028 — and it is physically testing this technology in Irvine.

Debuted in 2021, Supernal, a flying taxi concept officially known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, is slated to become the future of advanced air mobility.

Hyundai is currently developing its flying taxi technology in Irvine in a dedicated technology space near the Irvine Spectrum. In fact, the Supernal website lists Southern California as the “official home for vehicle development simulations and flight testing.”

“Our engineering team has developed more than 36 aerial vehicles and aircrafts and holds more than 58 patents,” the website reads.

Supernal is expected to transport four-to-five passengers per trip, according to the Orange County Business Journal. 

With offices in Northern California, Irvine and Washington, D.C., the company has been working to develop new legislation through relationships with policymakers. 

Cities are already investing in the future. On Tuesday, March 1, Supernal and the city of Miami signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will give Miami the power to create a framework around advanced air mobility in the skies about Miami. 

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