Kawasaki unveils off-road hydrogen, uh—robot horse?

Article content Kawasaki might be known primarily for its motorcycles, but last week as part of a technology expo in Japan, the company unveiled a different sort of two-seater all-electric conveyance—one that definitely isn’t a bike. Think more, well, robotic horse . Yes, you read that correctly.

Technically called the Corelo, it is described as a “quadruped” with room for two humans and driven by AI decision-making. It has four legs and a horse-like torso, but no head, together offering an aesthetic generally associated with fever-dream nightmares. Silly statements aside, it is a remarkable invention (even if it exists only digitally for now) and we could see it being useful for getting around walkable urban areas, or being handy for ranchers checking those fences on the back forty.



At least it doesn’t eat any hay. Details are understandably scarce, and Kawasaki says any sort of production variant is not expected to show up until the 2050 calendar year, or even later. The robot’s “hooves” are said to have a rubber-type tread; adjustable stirrups are intended to accommodate a wide range of rider sizes; and a don’t-call-it-a-saddle looks an awful lot like some snazzy motorcycle seats.

That last one makes sense, given Kawasaki’s expertise in that area. And replacing bike wheels with legs, which is essentially what this model does in the video, is definitely outlandish, but it does have a certain dose of sense, too. Speaking of hay, the Corelo apparently runs on a 150-cc generator powered by hydrogen.

This setup produces the energy needed for propulsion, though the number of – ahem – horsepower is left unmentioned. AI and cameras and other sensors are supposed to work with the rider’s body language for ease of use, while wind deflectors hint at the theoretical speed of this thing. That’s not terrifying at all.

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