InterviewToff Mobility's e-mobility dream soars with Korea's 1st electric planes

Toff Mobility CEO Jaden Jung poses next to a Velis Electro electric plane inside a hangar at Korea Aerospace University's pilot training center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 13. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province — Toff Mobility is altering the dynamics of Korea’s aviation industry. To replace fossil fuel-based planes that are dominating the sky, it is bringing in an alternative that runs on electricity for the first time here.

Beyond conventional planes, the company has signed a deal with a Chinese firm to import large-size drones for deployment for critical, life-saving purposes like wildfire control or medical assistance. The Seoul-based startup established just two years ago is already soaring high with its e-mobility dream. That dream not only solves the carbon emission problem; it is creating new paths in the air.

Toff Mobility CEO Jaden Jung, a commercial pilot, currently awaits the government’s approval on commercial use of the company’s electric planes. He said only one more flight remains until completion of the test by the Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Being tested is the Velis Electro aircraft made by Slovenia-based Pipistrel, a subsidiary of major American small-size plane manufacturer Textron. Jung has already imported two models, each worth 300 million won ($216,000). He said Velis Electro is the world's only electric plane certified by both the United States Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

“The test has been run for more than a year now. It is taking longer than combustion engine-based planes because the government never tested an electric plane before,” Jung said in his interview with The Korea Times. “Among Korean firms, we are the closest to commercializing electric planes. Hyundai Motor is currently developing one with Supernal but it needs more time to reach that phase.”

Toff Mobility’s planes, once licensed by the government, will start carrying passengers for transportation, sightseeing and pilot training. Velis Electro, 6.47 meters long from propeller to tail with two passenger seats and a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour, does not need a long runway, making it accessible to many more locations than larger planes. It is also quiet, generating under 60 decibels of noise, 10 times quieter than same sized planes with combustion engines, according to Jung.

Toff Mobility's Velis Electro electric plane flies above a plane runway in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, June 10. Behind the cockpit is the company's employee trained to pilot Pipistrel's electric planes. Courtesy of Toff Mobility

But the plane still needs improvement. Toff is currently developing technologies to reduce battery recharge time. Recharging for 80 minutes to fly for up to an hour is also a specification that needs improvement.

“Temperature seriously affects recharging speed particularly in summer and winter. So we have come up with a solution that cools the battery while it is recharging. I call it a ‘four season recharger.’ We are also accumulating data like how much power an electric plane needs to travel from Seoul to Busan. Unlike cars, there is no such data for electric planes yet,” Jung said.

“We do not manufacture electric planes but do come up with solutions for the plane and related infrastructure. We retain six patents here and two outside Korea.”

Toff Mobility’s other e-mobility operation is drones. Earlier this month, the company signed a deal with ZC Aviation in Jiaxing, China, to import its ZC500 cargo drones. The large-size drones can carry up to 260 kilograms, fly at 160 kilometers per hour and stay in the air for up to 10 hours, specifications he describes as “truly awesome.” Jung has reached a deal to import two ZC500s so far.

After bringing them here in November, he will resell them to a drone specialty firm in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, where the drones will be deployed to put out wildfires, transport emergency patients and deliver medical supplies.

“There are currently 220 helicopters in Korea. They evidently have safety risks while on wildfire missions. Cargo drones can help them. We vied with many firms to claim the partnership with ZC Aviation. Our experience and knowhow regarding electric planes allowed us to win the race,” Jung said.

Preparing infrastructure

Toff Mobility is currently working with the central and local governments and state-run companies to prepare infrastructure for electric planes and cargo drones. Without runways, recharging systems and regulations, the flying technologies are just software without hardware.

Toff Mobility CEO Jaden Jung, left, shakes hand with ZC Aviation CEO Hai Huang after agreeing to import the latter's ZC500 cargo drones, behind right, at ZC Aviation's office in Jiaxing, China, Aug. 8. Courtesy of Toff Mobility

With the Korea AeroSpace Administration, Jung last month visited Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation which are major urban aerial mobility (UAM) firms in California and discussed ways to cooperate on manufacturing future planes. He is also seeking ways to install recharging systems and introduce eco-friendly measures for operating electric planes at each airport here with the Korea Airports Corp. Toff Mobility is also the only aviation firm among the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s “family firms,” sharing technologies and accumulated data about electric planes with the institute under the transport ministry.

Last year, the company won 700 million won in funding from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in recognition of its potential. The same year it also received seed funding and pre-Series A funding which it will invest in purchasing more planes and building infrastructure.

Local governments with enough land to mull operating electric planes have begun talking to Toff Mobility. Gongju in South Chungcheong Province sought Jung’s consultation on how to build and operate a local runway for the UAM industry. Goyang in Gyeonggi Province, which has a runway in use by Korea Aerospace University, is currently in talks with Jung to upgrade the venue to accommodate recharging infrastructure for electric planes.

“Electric planes are at a burgeoning state in Korea. Not a single airport has a recharging system here. In the U.S., the system was newly installed at 40 airports last year alone and this year will see an additional 20,” Jung said.

“We are talking to the transport ministry to prepare such infrastructure at airports here. The airport now in construction on Ulleung Island will need one because it will have a shorter runway than existing ones (due to geographical limitations) and is ideal for electric planes to land and take off. We also plan to introduce the upgrade at local runways here before major airports to expedite operation of electric planes.”

As the first mover in Korea’s e-mobility industry, Toff Mobility has certain advantages. One is its network of partner firms in Europe, China and the U.S. where the industry has advanced much further than Korea.

Toff Mobility CEO Jaden Jung speaks during his interview with The Korea Times at Korea Airports Corp. headquarters in Seoul's Gangseo District, Aug. 13. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

“There are about 400 companies in the e-mobility industry worldwide. Companies in Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland are now making recharging stations and devices, while Joby, Archer and Textron are global leaders in electric planes. DJI in China has almost dominated the world's drone market. We are keeping in close touch with them,” he said.

Jung began dreaming of e-mobility after working as cabin crew for low-cost carriers for five years, flying 6,000 hours in total. He wanted to do something more fulfilling. He even published a memoir based on his career, an act that eventually fueled his ambitions. So he packed up, left for San Jose in the U.S. and learned piloting. There, he opened his eyes to the advanced aviation industry in the U.S. and the emergence of e-mobility.

“Many people expected helicopters will lead e-mobility but that takes more time until commercialization. Planes, on the other hand, have already seen progress at that stage. I did not want to stare at a far-fetched idea. I wanted to put my hands on something already on the table, which led me to establish Toff Mobility,” he said.

Who is Jaden Jung?

Before starting his CEO career at Toff Mobility in 2023, Jung directed a strategic business team at Kencoa Aerospace, an aerospace and defense company based in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, from 2021 until 2023. It was after he performed as a commercial pilot for Squadron 2 Flight Club in San Jose from 2019 until 2020.

Jung began flying in 2015 working for Eastar Jet. After one year, he moved to Jeju Air and extended his career until 2019.

He graduated Korea Aerospace University in Goyang with a master’s degree in future air transportation.