Supernal and GKN Aerospace Announce Partnership For eVTOL Vehicle Aerostructures By CIOTechOutlook Team

Supernal and GKN Aerospace Announce Partnership For eVTOL Vehicle Aerostructures

CIOTechOutlook Team | Monday, 19 June 2023, 11:41 IST

To develop and construct the main aerostructures and Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) for Supernal's electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, Supernal LLC and GKN Aerospace have joined forces. To produce these parts and develop the assembly techniques, the companies will also develop high-rate manufacturing technologies. As the Company continues to build a revolutionary high-rate production process that will allow the Advanced Air Mobility industry to satisfy anticipated demand in the future decades, this is the second established aerospace manufacturer partnership that Supernal has announced at the Paris Air Show.

In collaboration with Supernal, GKN will use a wide range of design and production technologies to advance the company's eVTOL vehicle. GKN will provide high-voltage, high-power electrical wiring systems and lightweight aerostructures for Supernal's full-scale technology demonstrator, which the company will start flying in 2024. The collaboration intends to strengthen the AAM industry's business rationale for utilising innovative materials and rate-enabling assembly techniques. Together with GKN, Supernal will develop volume ramp-up capabilities that will allow the company to quickly scale production as the demand for aircraft orders increases.

"Manufacturing is crucial to the success of Advanced Air Mobility and Supernal is pleased to partner with leading suppliers, such as GKN Aerospace, to industrialize existing processes," said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal. "Instead of focusing on 'time to market,' Supernal is prioritizing 'time to scale.' Our work with GKN Aerospace will lay the foundation for producing eVTOL vehicles at scale and will be bolstered by Hyundai Motor Group's high-tech manufacturing processes."

Supernal is attempting to incorporate the knowledge of the industry leader in automotive, including supply chain management, logistics and distribution, and manufacturing, throughout the AAM ecosystem as a member of the Hyundai Motor Group.