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Motorcycle riders sometimes refer to their bikes as “iron horses” and compare travel on the open highways to riding across the prairies. Or maybe the engineers at Kawasaki have spent too many late nights watching old westerns. Either way, Kawasaki Heavy Industries ’ Corleo is a futuristic personal mobility solution designed primarily for off-road and rugged terrain exploration.
Watch the robotic horse gallop and jump. Video used courtesy of Kawasai Group
The Corleo is a hydrogen-powered, rideable robotic quadruped that blends Kawasaki’s motorcycle engineering heritage with advanced robotics and artificial intelligence to create a unique, animal-inspired mobility experience. In short, it’s a hydrogen-powered horse.
The Kawasaki Corleo.
Why Not a Horse?
Like its flesh and blood inspiration, the Kawasaki Corleo is designed to navigate challenging environments such as mountains, rocky fields, grasslands, and rubble, where traditional wheeled vehicles struggle. It is intended for outdoor adventure enthusiasts, exploration, and potentially for practical applications like search and rescue or disaster relief in inaccessible areas .
Like the oat-burning version, Corleo emphasizes a close, intuitive connection between rider and machine. It continuously monitors the rider’s body movements and posture, allowing control through weight shifts and subtle rider inputs rather than traditional controls. This creates a riding experience akin to horseback riding, where the rider and vehicle move as one.
Corleo is powered by a 150 cc hydrogen engine that generates electricity for the robotic legs, producing zero harmful emissions and emitting only water vapor. Real horses produce other, less pleasant byproducts.
The Corelo’s hydrogen fuel cells.
Technical Aspects
- Quadrupedal robotic design: Instead of wheels, Corleo uses four independently articulated robotic legs inspired by animal locomotion (notably wolves and horses). Each leg has hydraulic joints and swing-arm mechanisms that absorb shocks and adapt to uneven terrain.
- Hoof-like rubber feet: The legs end in split, rubber hooves designed to grip various surfaces such as rocks, grass, and gravel, providing stability and slip resistance.
- Hydrogen-powered electric drive: A compact 150 cc hydrogen engine powers a generator, converting hydrogen fuel stored in a rear-mounted canister into electricity. This electricity powers individual drive units in each leg, enabling silent, low-vibration movement.
- Advanced AI and sensors: Corleo integrates Kawasaki’s proprietary AI platform that continuously analyzes terrain and rider movements in real-time. It uses machine learning and balance algorithms to maintain stability, adapt gait, and respond intuitively to rider posture shifts.
- Continuous Sensor Feedback Loop : The robot uses multiple embedded sensors in its legs and body to monitor:
- Joint angles and hydraulic pressure in each leg
- Ground contact forces through hoof-mounted load cells
- Rider’s center of gravity via stirrup and handlebar sensors
- Inertial measurement units to track pitch, roll, and yaw
- Kawasaki’s proprietary AI to process this data at 1,000 Hz
- Hydraulic Counter-Adjustments: When deviations from equilibrium are detected:
- Individual legs automatically engage hydraulic actuators to shift weight distribution
- Opposing limb pairs create stabilizing torque (e.g., front-left/rear-right legs stiffen while others relax)
- Micro-adjustments of <0.5° at joints maintain energy-efficient stillness
- Proprietary IMU Array tracks 16-axis motion data with 0.01° precision
The Corleo’s “hoof.” Image used courtesy of Kawasaki
This system allows Corleo to maintain stationary balance even on slopes up to 15° or when carrying uneven loads, and the vehicle consumes only 150 W of power in standby mode. Unlike wheeled robots that require constant power for stability, Corleo’s hybrid approach combines AI precision with biomechanical efficiency inspired by animal physiology. Riders steer and control speed by shifting their weight on adjustable stirrups and using sensor-equipped handlebars. This system eliminates the need for traditional ignition or throttle controls.
Corleo also features a heads-up display that shows vital information such as hydrogen fuel levels, navigation routes (including paths to summits), and the rider’s center of gravity. For nighttime riding, it projects illuminated markers onto the terrain to guide the rider safely.
The body uses lightweight metals and carbon fiber composites to balance strength and agility, while the design incorporates aerodynamic elements reminiscent of Kawasaki motorcycles, including a front face shield with embedded LED lighting.
Saddle Up
The Kawasaki Corleo offers a new kind of outdoor riding experience that is stable, intuitive, and environmentally sustainable, pushing the boundaries of future personal mobility beyond traditional motorcycles or vehicles. Or, it’s a goofy hydrogen-powered horse. Cool technology, though, and maybe it will teach engineers something about applying AI to build more stability into motorcycles. While currently a concept with no immediate commercial release, Kawasaki envisions Corleo as a symbol of mobility innovation for 2050 and beyond.
