It’s been more than 100 years since cars replaced the horse and buggy. Now, Kawasaki has come full circle and invented a high-tech, futuristic vehicle that strangely resembles that very same horse we replaced all those years ago, reports ADVRider. Kawasaki first showed Corleo as a concept at Expo 2025 Osaka, claiming that this “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.” According to New Atlas, it projected a possible “pipe dream” delivery date of 2050 at the time.
Indeed, despite its appearance, it features a few motorcycle-like concepts. The rider holds onto handlebars and uses them, plus “steps,” rather than foot pegs (or stirrups), to balance and maneuver Corleo across uneven terrain. The back legs attach to a similar swingarm as a motorcycle. There’s even an instrument panel with a navigation system optimized for off-road operation. But mainly, it looks like something out of science fiction, or maybe a 1980s cartoon. It has a 150cc engine that runs on hydrogen to generate electricity for the drive units located within each of the four legs. Perhaps Kawasaki should ask Toyota how well hydrogen power has worked out for the Mirai (spoiler alert: it hasn’t).
Who asked for this?
The strangest part is that Kawasaki’s off-road machine, which looks more like a rideable Boston Dynamics robot dog than a KLR650, is reportedly going into production a lot sooner than previously announced. Last month, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (related to, but not the same as, Kawasaki Motors) has announced that it will be developing Corleo for real-life production, “targeting use as an on-site mobility vehicle at the Expo 2030 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while working toward commercialization in 2035.” Kawasaki also says it will develop a simulator to showcase what the riding experience will be like by 2027.
To me, this still sounds like science fiction. I could see this maybe working if Corleo were fully electric rather than powered by a hydrogen-burning engine. Boston Dynamics has already shown us what’s possible with four-legged robots, for better or for worse. While there is a hydrogen refueling station in Riyadh, there are almost none anywhere else, severely limiting the real-world applications of this technology.
The main problem, however, is that horses exist. They, too, are equipped with four legs and four hooves that can cross difficult terrain more effectively than any wheeled vehicle can. No technological development is required, since people have already been riding horses for thousands of years and doing gymkhana longer than Ken Block. Best of all, horses run on widely available grass and hay, not pure hydrogen that’s only available in a few select locations. The automobile replaced the horse for many valid reasons, but despite Kawasaki’s best efforts, I don’t see how Corleo could possibly replace a good old-fashioned horse.
