Story at a glance
- A.L.I. Technologies debuted its “XTurismo Limited Edition” at a race track near Mount Fuji Tuesday.
- The black and red hoverbike looks somewhat like a motorcycle sitting on several propellers.
- The company began taking orders Tuesday and said it plans on manufacturing 200 hoverbikes with shipments planned in the first half of 2022.
A Tokyo-based startup is now taking orders for “the world’s first practical hoverbike” after unveiling the vehicle earlier this week.
A.L.I. Technologies, a drone manufacturer, debuted its “XTurismo Limited Edition” at a race track near Mount Fuji Tuesday where the bike showed off its aerial moves.
The black and red hoverbike looks somewhat like a motorcycle sitting on several propellers. When the hoverbike isn’t airborne, it sits on landing skids.
“This hoverbike is the next generation of mobility, enabling free movement in 3-dimensional space,” the company says.
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“This model is based on the desire to bring new sensations and experiences to mankind, a high-performance machine that runs through the sky.”
A Japanese startup company has launched a hoverbike for a whopping 77.7 million yen, or about $680,000. The XTurismo Limited Edition can fly for roughly 40 minutes with a top speed over 60 mph. pic.twitter.com/fMJOFTE58l
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 27, 2021
The bike is equipped with a conventional internal combustion engine and four battery-powered motors. According to A.L.I. Technologies, the flying bike can fly for up to 40 minutes at more than 60 miles per hour. The bikes weigh more than 600 pounds and can carry up to 220 pounds.
The company began taking orders Tuesday and said it plans on manufacturing 200 hoverbikes with shipments planned in the first half of 2022. But securing a flying bike doesn’t come cheap, as the vehicles come with a price tag of more than $680,000.
CEO Daisuke Katano said the company aims to offer a new method of transport, and the hoverbike could one day be used by emergency rescue teams to access remote locations. For now, the bike’s will have to stick to the track, as current laws prohibit the bikes from flying over Japan’s busy streets.
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