Kawasaki’s Corleo: The horse of the future

In a scene that seemed more dream than demonstration, Kawasaki Heavy Industries introduced Corleo — a hydrogen-powered, four-legged robot designed to be ridden — at a preview for the upcoming Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025.

Shaped like a creature from folklore or video game fantasy, the metallic wolf stood tall, its legs twitching with lifelike anticipation.

Corleo is not a gimmick, but a glimpse into a world Kawasaki believes may arrive within a quarter century. This robotic beast is designed to traverse rough terrain where wheels falter.

Riders mount it as they would a real horse, yet its movement recalls the grace of wild animals — deer, perhaps, or panthers. The company promises that even beginners will find Corleo stable, responsive, and surprisingly intuitive.

The robot runs on a hydrogen fuel cell paired with a 150cc engine, a blend that hints at a cleaner future for mobility. Rather than relying on levers or pedals, Corleo responds to subtle shifts in body weight, allowing for a ride guided by instinct. A heads-up display provides essential data, from hydrogen levels to balance cues.

Though full technical specifications remain under wraps, Corleo marks a serious step forward in Kawasaki's evolution — from building trains and engines to imagining transport with soul. The robot's aesthetic, reportedly influenced by the Horizon Zero Dawn video game, merges fiction with function.

This is not Kawasaki's first hydrogen-powered foray. The company unveiled its Ninja H2 HySE motorbike last year, part of its broader commitment to carbon-neutral technologies. But Corleo goes further, melding robotics, clean energy, and creature-like mobility into a machine that seems more alive than mechanical.