When it comes to fantastical technologies for which the world has been clamoring for decades, the hoverboard ranks among the most coveted. And when you talk about hoverboards, it's impossible not to talk about "Back to the Future, Part II," in which every '80s kid's dream toy — a gravity-defying skateboard with no need for wheels — was popularized through Hollywood visual-effects wizardry. Related: DeLorean Motor Co. Takes Film Fans 'Back to the Future' As we approach the film's then-far-off-future date of Oct. 21, 2015 — when the Mattel-brand hoverboard was depicted as being as common as an Element deck — you'd think that if an automaker were to advance the concept to reality that it might be DMC, manufacturer of the DeLorean sports-car-turned-time-machine from the films. But instead, it's Toyota's luxury brand Lexus that has made our childhood fancy a reality. Lexus announced today that it has partnered with "world leading experts in super conductive technology to create one of the most advanced Hoverboards ever developed." "It's the perfect example of the amazing things that can be achieved when you combine technology, design and imagination," said Mark Templin, executive vice president at Lexus International, in a statement. The Lexus Hoverboard operates by using magnetic levitation to achieve frictionless movement, the automaker explained. The board uses a combination of liquid-nitrogen-cooled superconductors and permanent magnets to achieve its levitating powers. Despite the concept's silver-screen pedigree, the hoverboard bears no resemblance to the sleek stainless-steel DeLorean. It does, however, rock some Lexus-specific stylistic cues to remind everyone whose invention this is, including the automaker's signature spindle grille as well as materials used in its cars. The Lexus Hoverboard will undergo further testing in Barcelona, Spain, but don't get too excited. Come Oct. 21, you won't find it on the shelves at your local big-box retailer. "The Lexus Hoverboard is a prototype and will not be on sale," Lexus stated. Watch the Lexus Hoverboard in action here.
from Cars.com News http://ift.tt/1GrbDTi
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