The Lexus hoverboard is a sham

I knew it, that whole Lexus hoverboard nonsense was some big marketing stunt after all.

If you missed it earlier this week, Lexus revealed a video of a real-life hoverboard they claimed to be developing called SLIDE. The video didn’t show much and the company didn’t really offer any details on how it actually worked. They just led us to believe that they working on a tangible product that someday would see the light of day.

Watch technology, design & imagination combine for stunning results. Presenting SLIDE. #LexusHover #AmazingInMotionhttps://t.co/NsZ8SY5PBJ

— Lexus (@Lexus) June 24, 2015

Well, they lied.

Here’s what Lexus said to Business Insider in a recent statement:

“The hoverboard is not a consumer product and will not go on sale. However, the device will be featured in an ad campaign with a Lexus vehicle that will be for sale.

That’s right, we were duped. We were stringed along to think that Lexus was branching out into another form of transportation, but instead, they just want us to buy more cars.

But to give them some credit, they are actually working on a hoverboard. You just can’t try it.

The magic behind their hoverboard is simple. It’s all thanks to magnets. The company built a skatepark with magnetic tracks embedded throughout the park, according to a recent report from El Patin. Because the board can’t levitate over cement, it only works if the surface it’s on is composed of magnets.

Check out  the rest of the photos of the unfinished park here. 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the days of levitating hoverboards are still a distant reality. Until then, we always have Back to the Future.

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.