Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro At CES 2025, Sambo Motors unveils the HAM III-2, a two-seater aircraft with hybrid propulsion. Electric vertical takeoff, hydrogen-powered horizontal flight: a first step towards a more sustainable future for urban transportation
©Sambo
At CES 2025, Sambo Motors Group introduces its most recent innovation-the HAM III-2, a hybrid aircraft that aims to change how urban air mobility develops. Though not an entirely new idea, it boasts an advanced design and a hybrid propulsion system that makes it more ecologically friendly compared to previous models.
The aircraft has a wingspan of 29.5 feet, is 14.8 feet tall, and weighs 1,870 pounds; it’s designed for short trips over the city and for commercial transport, but the company can imagine a possible function for the craft in taxi services over cities. An event spokesperson declared:
“HAM III-2 is versatile: it adaptes to commercial, military, and urban transports. It will be the taxi of the skies in the near future.”
That’s nevertheless far from letting it get into the real-world action. So, before doing that, before commercial operation initiates in the US and South Korea, the aircraft would have to get through a chain of tests as well as approvals.
Hybrid propulsion is indeed the heart of HAM III-2
What will really be new about HAM III-2, though, is a new type of propulsion-a hybrid with electric battery-powered vertical takeoff coupled with hydrogen fuel cells to cruise. In effect, that radically diminishes the basic weight of this airplane because, if using hydrogen cells, the heavy batteries otherwise required would no longer be necessary in very-long-range missions.
While its performance is commendable, it remains limited compared to the expectations for efficient transport. The HAM III-2 can reach a top speed of 112 mph, has a range of 62 miles, and a flight time of approximately 40 minutes. These specifications make it ideal for short urban routes but less suited for intercity travel.
It has a design of four horizontal rotors for vertical takeoff, supplemented with two rear propellers allowing horizontal propulsion during agile maneuvers. Still, its operational capacity is far smaller than that of the fully electric variant or that of the long-range model.
Desert trials: crucial testing in the United States
The main challenge for HAM III-2 is regulatory restrictions. South Korea currently does not have legislation that would provide a legal basis for hydrogen-powered flight tests. Sambo Motors has chosen the U.S. desert for its trials, where extreme weather conditions will enable the aircraft to be tested under demanding scenarios such as takeoff, landing, and sharp turns.
The trials in 2025 will not just be a technical assessment of the aircraft’s capabilities but also one toward persuading a regulatory body. Sambo Motors is working with the FAA and Civil Aviation Office of South Korea on securing the necessary certifications, which could take a few years.
However exciting its launch might have been, the HAM III-2 is very far from deployment into service. The limited range and flight duration, together with the high production and maintenance costs of such flying machines, exclude them from widespread use in the next future.
Source: SamboMotors
