According to Reuters, a Japanese startup backed by football player Keisuke Honda hopes to convince wealthy consumers to exchange their supercars for a 77.7 million yen ($680,000) hoverbike. This car was also opened for sale on October 26.
The "X Turismo Limited Edition" is a product of the startup specializing in drones A.L.I in Tokyo. This new flying motorbike is equipped with a regular engine and 4 battery-powered engines, promising to fly for 40 minutes, at a speed of up to 100km/h.
CEO Daisuke Katano told Reuters: "For now, we can only choose between going underground or flying in the air. We hope to come up with a new method of transportation".
This flying motorbike is black and red, including part of the motorcycle body on the fans. The main engine is located on the foot of a helicopter landing gear. Startup A.L.I, backed by heavy industrial companies such as Mitsubishi Electric and Kyocera, demonstrated the car's ability to fly on a track near the Phu Si mountain area.
Mr. Katano said that in the coming time, this vehicle will be used only in such locations and it will temporarily not be allowed to fly over Japans cramped roads. The vehicle could also be used by rescue teams to reach hard-to-reach locations, he said.
Regulations in Japan are still very strict due to safety concerns that have hampered the development of new vehicle sectors. Mr. Katano also said that the rules waiting to be changed could allow him to expand the potential applications of this car.
Currently, more and more capital is pouring into these new mobility technology development companies, from Joby Aviation in California, USA to AIR in Israel. These companies promise to open an era of private aviation transportation from jet aircraft to flying taxis.
