The startup, whose backers include industrial giants Mitsubishi Electric and Kyocera, demonstrated a bike with a short flight a few meters off the ground at a race track near Mount Fuji.
see photosThe black and red hoverbikes have a motorcycle-like body over the propeller.
A Japanese startup backed by soccer player Keisuke Honda hopes to persuade wealthy consumers to swap out its supercars for the 77.7 million yen ($680,000) hoverbike that went on sale Tuesday. Tokyo-based drone startup ALI Technologies’ “XTurismo Limited Edition” is equipped with a conventional engine and four battery-powered motors and promises to fly up to 100 kph for 40 minutes.
Chief executive Daisuke Katano told Reuters: “So far the option has been to move extensively on the ground or in the sky. We hope to offer a new method of movement.”
The black and red hoverbikes have a motorcycle-like body over the propeller. The machine rests on the landing skid when it is stationary.
The startup, whose backers include industrial giants Mitsubishi Electric and Kyocera, demonstrated a bike with a short flight a few meters off the ground at a race track near Mount Fuji.
The hoverbike comes equipped with a conventional engine and four battery-powered motors
Katano said that in the near future its use would be limited to such sites – and would not be allowed to fly over the jam-packed roads of Japan. But rescue teams can use bikes to reach difficult places.
Strict regulations in Japan, driven by safety concerns, have stunted the development of sectors such as ride-sharing. Katano said pending rule changes could expand the bike’s potential applications.
Startups ranging from California-based Joby Aviation to Israel’s AIR are getting funding that promise to usher in an era of personal air transportation, from jetpacks to flying taxis.
0 notes
The commercial success for ALI Technologies, whose suppliers include engine maker Kawasaki Heavy, will help cement Japan’s industrial edge amid a generational shift toward new technology such as autonomous and electric vehicles.
for the latest auto news And ReviewFollow carandbike.com Twitter, Facebookand subscribe to our youtube Channel.
.