The future has arrived. Lexus reveals prototype of a real Hoverboard

Ever since watching the character of Marty McFly ride his hoverboard in that famous hoverboard chase scene in Back to the Future Part II , I’m sure most kids have wanted to own one. Perhaps that day is not too far away.

Lexus recently released a video teaser for its latest invention, the SLIDE, and while it’s not for sale, the company is on the verge of making the world’s first real rideable hoverboard a reality.

As a division of car manufacturer Toyota, Lexus is better known for their luxury car range. A hoverboard is a far cry from their usual product line, however, they have managed to create one which keeps in touch with Lexus’ stylish sensibilities right down to the natural bamboo finish and carbon fibre trimmings.

It’s certainly chic and sleek, especially compared to the hoverboards (and their riders) we saw in Back to the Future Part II.

Let’s take a sneak peak at the Lexus SLIDE:

In the company’s teaser video, you’ll notice that while it certainly looks impressive, it does not appear to be fully functional yet. The video does not show anyone actually riding the board, and given that it operates through the use of magnets, it actually only works in certain special environments (which have been recreated for the video) and not on regular concrete as the video might have you believe. It is also unknown at this stage what weight limit it can bear while still managing to stay off the ground.

For those curious about how the Lexus hoverboard works, according to their website, it uses magnetic levitation to achieve frictionless movement through liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors and permanent magnets (which explains the smoke you can see in the video).

The company has revealed very little about the hoverboard’s creation process. What we do know is that a team in London and Germany have been working on this prototype for 18 months, and  a professional skateboarder in Barcelona has been testing it.

If you recall the movie Back to the Future Part II, it is the year 2015 in which Marty is transported to. More precisely October 21, 2015. Coincidence? Could Lexus be a step away from creating the world’s first rideable hoverboard? If so, it’s timing couldn’t be better.

Source: Lexus h/t Gizmodo Japan
Top image: YouTube screenshot (LexusInternational)
Images: YouTube screenshot (LexusInternational), YouTube screenshot (MOVIECLIPS)

Origin: The future has arrived. Lexus reveals prototype of a real Hoverboard
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