Flying Bikes Becoming a Reality Soon!! XTurismo Debuts at Detroit Auto Show 2022

XTurismo Flying Bike, a hybrid-electric hoverbike, has recently been showcased at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show. It was officially unveiled in October 2021 and later made available to the public via flying demonstration in Japan.

At the 2022 Detroit Auto Show, people saw what the potential future holds for urban mobility, all thanks to the XTurismo Flying Bike. Yes, a flying bike. The XTurismo is frequently referred to as the future of urban mobility, a possible platform for the ideal vehicle with various features. It was officially unveiled as a viable product in October 2021 and was later made available to the general public via a flying demonstration in Japan.

XTurismo received a new but nonetheless appropriate moniker for its very first public outing in the United States: the "land speeder for the Dark Side." Due to its high price tag, the hybrid-electric hoverbike known as the XTurismo is currently neither road legal nor widely available, but it has amazing potential that its appearance at the NAIAS 2022 (North American International Auto Show) hopes to showcase.

The Director, Chairman, and CEO of AERWINS Technologies, Shuhei Komatsu while speaking with the local newspaper in Detroit said, “It's very exciting for us to be here in Detroit. Detroit is the home of the mobility industry.”

A.L.I. Technology Inc., a Japanese business that manufactures the XTurismo in Japan, is a subsidiary of Delaware-based AERWINS Technologies Inc., which concentrates on the development of technologies for air mobility. Since these VTOLs (vertical takeoff landing aircraft) are not regarded as aircraft in this country and do not need a specific operating permit, the position is not accidental.

However, Komatsu wants to export the XTurismo to the US as well, and soon. He informed the reporters present at the event that an early 2023 release was feasible, but it would be a considerably smaller model than the one currently available for pre-order as a limited edition. In 2025, two years after that, Komatsu aspires to lower the cost to a manageable $50,000 for the fundamental configuration.

That latter point is crucial since the XTurismo is now priced at almost $770,000, making it a toy that is only available to the wealthy. Since there is no regulation for EVTOLs, they may only be used on private property and on race tracks, but Komatsu thinks widespread adoption is on the way. The XTurismo isn't just a plaything; it may also be used as a patrol car or emergency vehicle, giving local authorities a quicker and more effective way to get to places that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Several fortunate members of the public, including Show president Thad Szott, had the opportunity to ride the XTurismo for a public demo at the Coleman A. Young International Airport, which served to emphasize that point even more. The films below show both the official flight demonstration and Szott's subsequent test ride: Although they were brief and the riders (or pilots, depending on your preference) had no control over the hoverbike, they were effective.

After this performance in Detroit, it could be reasonable to conclude that things are looking up. Looking to the skies for new alternatives for faster, less demanding, and less polluting forms of transportation is only natural as the streets get more congested and everyone's daily commute turns into a hassle.

The XTurismo is a hybrid-electric hoverbike with two main rotors and four auxiliary propellers that serve as stabilizers. It is powered by a hybrid Kawasaki engine. Although it is somewhat noisy, the business intends to find a way to reduce the noise before it enters full production. The XTurismo is 3.7 meters (146 inches) long, 2.4 meters (94.5 inches) broad, and 1.5 meters (59 inches) tall. It can travel at a maximum speed of 60 mph for up to 30 to 40 minutes in the air (97 kph). The hoverbike itself weighs 300 kg (661 pounds) and can carry up to 100 kg of payload (220.5 pounds).

Currently, the 200 Limited-Edition XTurismos will be delivered in 2022, after which mass production will begin when costs decrease. Hopefully, by the time this flying bike reaches that point, VTOL laws and regulations will have caught up.