Riders Preferred Membership
Shop by Vehicle
Track Order
Contact Us
Blame it on “The Jetsons,” “Star Wars,” or “Back to the Future,” but people have been excited about (and waiting for) hovercraft for a long time.
Well, we’re one step closer to that being a reality, thanks to startup ALI Technologies. Check out the video below, which shows ALI’s Xturismo hovercraft cautiously taking flight in front of assembled media at Fuji Speedway in Japan late last month.
The vehicle is said to be capable of hitting 60 mph and uses both an internal-combustion engine and electric motors (I’m guessing the piston engine powers the two main props while the four trim rotors are electric) to offer a flight time of 30 to 40 minutes. And it isn’t just a prototype or one-off custom. The Xturismo is available for purchase, assuming you have $680,000 you’re willing to part with.
ALI Technologies is positioning the Xturismo as an alternative means of transportation in congested cities. It’s an exciting prospect, and while this particular example doesn’t appear poised to change the face of personal transportation, it is a pioneering effort that gets moves us closer to that hovercraft future so many of us are waiting for.
Image Gallery
