Kawasaki's Built a Hydrogen-Powered Robot Horse, No Really
Before you begin reading this piece, I'd like you to please look at today's date. You can look at the publish date at the top of this article if you like, or at your phone, or at the taskbar on your computer monitor if that's where you're reading this.
Why am I asking you to do this? Easy. I want to prove to you that it's not April 1, and that this is no April Fool's joke before we get into the meat of this piece. Are you ready? Let's dive in.
If you didn't already give Kawasaki a whole bunch of credit for being willing to take risks in the 21st century, you definitely should after you learn more about Corleo, the creature you're seeing here. He wasn't created by Francis Ford Coppola; at least, as far as I know. Instead, he's one of multiple concepts that Kawasaki will be showcasing at the upcoming Osaka-Kansai Expo on April 13, 2025.
This one, according to the concept drawings, is H2-powered. Just, um, probably not quite in the way that motorcycle people will be thinking. Because, I mean, that would be utterly insane, right? Just imagine an H2-engined robot horse rocketing you through the woods as some type of futuristic "personal mobility vehicle."
Anyway, here's how Kawasaki describes Corleo:
Kawasaki's revolutionary off-road personal mobility vehicle offers excellent all-terrain capability, powered by four robotic legs, together with the handling and stability of Kawasaki's motorcycles. While preserving the joy of riding, the vehicle continually monitors the rider's movements to achieve a reassuring sense of unity between human and machine. Scale mountains, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy panoramic views. Let CORLEO unleash your "Impulse to Move" in the great outdoors.
To be perfectly clear, it's a) not a joke, and b) is, in fact, a concept that Kawasaki says it envisions for the 2050s. Will it iterate over time? Probably. But designs have to start somewhere, right? And this one is quite something.
Back to the H2 thing, though. It says it right there on Corleo's haunch; I'm not making it up.
Sorry, sorry; what I called a haunch, Kawasaki says is actually a swing arm. Yes; like a motorcycle. If Kawasaki's years of making motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, and hydrogen experimentation are all taken together, then Corleo is a bit like the Fast and the Furious 6 film. All roads lead to this!
When they say it's H2 powered, here's what they mean. It will have a 150cc hydrogen engine that generates electricity to power four separate drive units mounted inside each of Corleo's legs. That's right; Kawasaki sees your dinky dual motor EV setup and raises it.
According to Kawasaki, the rear and front legs can operate independently, which means the rider can stay looking forward (not upward) as the rear legs propel you up a mountain. Or stairs. Or whatever. And incidentally, the rider can shift their weight around to control Corleo, kind of like a motorcycle. Kind of.
Except, you know, that it has hooves instead of wheels. Really, Kawasaki calls them hooves. They are also hoof-shaped. The structure, Team Green says, is made of rubber, and "can adapt to various terrains, including grasslands, rocky areas, and rubble fields." Is anyone else here having Horizon: Zero Dawn visions, or is it just me?
The instrument panel will be somewhat similar to a motorcycle, except in Kawasaki's vision, it will also project markers onto the road at night to aid in navigation. Sort of like HUD, except everyone else outside your Corleo can see it, too. I'm not sure how practical that is, but we're also talking about a ridable robot horse concept here. Is navigational practicality really the first thing you're going to question?
Incidentally, in case you wondered, this isn't Kawasaki's first robot animal rodeo. Back in 2022, it also introduced a robotic goat concept; again, not any kind of joke. That year, it was specifically introduced at a robotics exhibition; not a future living expo like the one where Corleo will debut.
Corleo is also not Kawasaki's only concept that it's showing at this expo, either. It's part of what the company is calling ALICE, which is an acronym that stands for Accessible Linkages for Innovative and Comfortable Experiences. It describes this as "the transportation system of the future." Modes of ALICE transport vary depending on the number of passengers, up to and including ships and aircraft.
Kawasaki will also showcase a third concept at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, called O'CUVOID. This will utilize the hydrogen engine in development for Kawasaki motorcycles, in conjunction with a generator and an inverter.
