Located in a car park next to Coventry Station, the Air-One vertiport isn't exactly in the most glamorous location. But stepping inside the 17,000 square-foot radial tent-like structure, you're transported into what could be the future of transport Such a hub became a reality in the UK in April, with the opening of the Air-One site in Coventry.Īir-One is a centre for drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, including flying cars and taxis, and will serve as a blueprint for more than 200 vertiports planned worldwide over the next five years, according to Urban-Air Port, the UK-based developer of Air-One. This might include so-called vertiports - transport hubs for flying taxis. Supernal also said it will be working to integrate the planned craft into existing transit networks and create necessary infrastructure.
On top of that, it is also developing a hydrogen-powered mid-sized vehicle for regional - city-to-city - cargo and passenger journeys, which it hopes will be operational in the 2030s. US-based Supernal hopes the battery-powered eVTOL vehicle, which is designed for intra-city passenger journeys, will hit the market in 2028. 'The Supernal eVTOL vehicle draws on the competence of the Hyundai Motor Group and the skillset of experienced automotive designers, which allowed us to develop a new air mobility concept that is not only safe and rational but also highly emotional,' said Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of Hyundai Motor Group. Grab handles built into the cabin doors and seatbacks help passengers climb in and out of the flying car, while a combination of lighting - including overhead lights inspired by car sunroofs - adjusts with the various stages of flight to emulate a 'light therapy' effect. These provide a charging station and stowage compartment for personal items.
The cabin also features ergonomically contoured seats - to offer a cocoon-like environment for passengers - and deployable seat consoles which mimic those seen in cars. It is made from reinforced thermoplastic, durable plant-based leather, recycled plastic fabric and 'responsibly sourced woods', according to Hyundai. A team of engineers and designers took a leaf out of the automotive industry's book to create the light-weight interior cabin.
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