aircraft

“Revolutionizing Transportation: Highlights from CES 2024’s Honda EVs and Hyundai’s Air Taxi Plans”

Honda Saloon Concept Vehicle Ces 2024 1
CES has increasingly become defined by what automakers and other mobility-focused companies bring to Las Vegas, and CES 2024 has been no exception. Honda’s 0 series EVs, Saloon and Space-Hub concepts debutIf you’re tired of “thick, heavy” EVs, Honda has an alternative vision for you. The carmaker showcased a more sleek design for its Saloon concept, while the Space-Hub takes a more family-friendly van approach. Though like its standard form factor, the voice-powered ChatGPT could still be tricked, as we learned in a hands-on demo. Kia’s modular EV lineup is revealedModular phones may have come and gone, but Kia hopes modular vehicles will have a bit more success.

“Hyundai’s Electric Air Taxi Venture Set to Launch in 2028”

Supernal Evtol
Supernal, the advanced air mobility company under Hyundai Motor Group, took the wraps off its latest iteration of an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft called the S-A2 that executives say is designed to shuttle passengers by 2028. The S-A2 is essentially a more fully baked version of what it intends to launch commercially and confirms that, at least for now, Hyundai is still intent on getting into the yet-to-exist electric air taxi business. Supernal has grown to a 600-person team and is also using technical and business capabilities of Hyundai Motor Group and aviation suppliers around the world as it works towards a commercial launch, according to Jaiwon Shin, Hyundai Motor Group president and CEO of Supernal. The nuts and boltsThe aircraft shown Tuesday is a V-tail with a distributed electric propulsion architecture and eight all-tilting rotors. The S-A2 is loaded with the kind of redundant components like the powertrain, flight controls and avionics — all of the safety critical systems required for commercial aviation.

Pioneering Launch of U.S. Distribution for Helix Electric Personal Aircraft by Pivotal Aviation

Helix Front
Pivotal, the Palo Alto, California-based company backed by Larry Page, kicked off online sales Monday night at CES 2024 for Helix, a lightweight electric personal aircraft that doesn’t require a pilot’s license to fly. Helix marks an evolution for Pivotal, a company previously known as Opener that has been working on lightweight electric vertical and takeoff aircraft for more than a decade. The Helix, due to its lightweight status weighing about 348 pounds, complies with FAA Part 103 (Ultralight) category in the United States. The base $190,000 package includes the Helix aircraft with a white-and-carbon fiber exterior finish and a digital flight panel, canopy, HD landing camera, charger, vehicle cart, custom marking and warranty. The Helix aircraft will be manufactured in Palo Alto.

“Shield AI Secures Additional $300M in Equity and Debt, Boosting Valuation to $2.8B in Massive Series F Expansion”

5.1int
Defense tech startup Shield AI has expanded its latest funding round with another $300 million in equity and debt, bringing its total Series F to $500 million, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. This total amount reflects $200 million in equity closed in November, $100 million in new equity raised at the Series F price, and $200 million in debt. Shield AI is building an “AI pilot” to turn aircraft into autonomous systems. “AI pilots are becoming a strategic conventional deterrent in class with our aircraft carriers andguided missile submarines,” he said in a statement. “Adopt AI pilots too slow, and we will fail.