Supernal, an Irvine-based air taxi startup backed by Hyundai Motor Group, laid off 296 employees last week, representing about 80% of its total workforce. This drastic reduction leaves only 70 to 80 staff members as the company struggles to prove its eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) technology and restructures its operations. The layoffs, affecting teams in Mojave, Orange County, and Fremont, are part of a strategic pivot to optimize costs and staffing for long-term goals. Supernal has paused its aircraft development and will consolidate operations at its Irvine headquarters, delaying its certification timeline for the S-A2 eVTOL aircraft originally targeted for 2028.
