Hyundai flying car may be among first to take off, possibly by 2030

A future with flying cars a common sight on the horizon may be closer than you thought. A number of players across the world are looking skywards to fulfill ambitions of personal mobility in the air and among them is Hyundai. Hyundai first showcased its S-A1 concept flying vehicle in early 2020 and is targeting its first commercial flight by 2028. But how soon can you get inside one?

Speaking to The Guardian, Micheal Cole - chief executive of Hyundai's European operations - had previously informed he believes flying cars will become a reality by the end of this decade. “We believe it really is part of the future," he had said. “There’s some time before we can really get this off the ground. We think that by the latter part of this decade certainly, urban air mobility will offer great opportunity to free up congestion in cities, to help with emissions, whether that’s intra-city mobility in the air or whether it’s even between cities."

Hyundai already has a dedicated division to work on the development of the S-A1 concept which has been designed in a way that it could achieve a top speed of around 300 kmph while also boasting of a cruising altitude of up to 600 metres. And it could also be street legal which means when not flying, the vehicle may be driven like any other on roads.

Critics argue that flying cars are an impractical idea that do not deserve the capital investment. Some even say that road congestion would be replaced by congestion in the air if and when flying vehicles enter mass-market space. But the arguments against flying vehicles hardly dampen the anticipation and the excitement.

For long, mankind has wanted to be able to fly in personal vehicles and those in the know of it say it is a matter of 'when' and not 'if'.