Lexus Unveils a Working Hoverboard
The latest ‘Amazing in Motion’ endeavor swaps rubber wheels for magnetic levitation
Unlike the internet-trolling hoverboard announcements of the past, luxury car company Lexus has created the real floating deal to finally make our dreams come true. As part of their “Amazing in Motion” campaign—which aims to demonstrate the brand’s innovative aptitude through a series of groundbreaking pursuits—Lexus partnered with leading minds in superconductive technology to develop the world’s most advanced hoverboard to date.
Similar to the technology seen in many of Japan’s blistering bullet trains, Lexus employs magnetic levitation combined with superconductors to create a frictionless buffer zone between the ground and board, allowing it to effortlessly float on air. Due to the system’s extremely high temperatures, liquid nitrogen is used to continuously keep it cool (while also providing an alluring fogging effect that’s very Hollywood). As a nod to its four-wheeled siblings, designers also outfitted the board with many of the materials found in current Lexus car models, including natural bamboo and even the iconic spindle grille shape. While the Lexus Hoverboard will unfortunately not be available for purchase—remaining a prototype—it will enter intense testing mode in Barcelona, Spain this summer.
Images courtesy of Lexus
