'It felt like Star Wars': Hoverbike makes US debut
Japanese startup A.L.I. Technologies' XTurismo Limited Edition hoverbike is pictured during its demonstration at Fuji Speedway in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on Oct 26, 2021.
PHOTO: Reuters
PUBLISHED ONSeptember 16, 2022 4:28 AM
A hoverbike that the Japanese manufacturers plan to launch in the US next year made its US debut at the Detroit Auto Show on Thursday (Sept 15), drawing perhaps inevitable comparisons to the speeder bikes of Star Wars.
The Xturismo hoverbike is made by Japanese startup Aerwins Technologies and can fly for 40 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 62 miles per hour (100 kph).
"I feel like I'm literally 15 years old and I just got out of Star Wars and jumped on their bike," said Thad Szott, co-chair of the auto show after taking a test drive – or, perhaps, a test hover.
"I mean, it's awesome! Of course, you have a little apprehension, but I was just so amped. I literally had goosebumps and feel like a little kid."
The hoverbike is already on sale in Japan, and Shuhei Komatsu, founder and CEO of Aerwins, said plans were underway to sell a smaller version in the US in 2023.
The price? A galactic $777,000 – although Komatsu said the company hopes to get the cost down to $50,000 for a smaller, electric model by 2025.
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Earlier this month, Aerwins said it was looking to list on the Nasdaq via a merger with a special acquisition company that values it at $600 million (S$845 million).