Urban Transport

ArcaBoard moves closer to production, and at a lower price

ArcaBoard moves closer to production, and at a lower price
Company CEO Dumitru Popescu tries out the ArcaBoard
Company CEO Dumitru Popescu tries out the ArcaBoard
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Plans call for the ArcaBoard to be "officially introduced" at Monaco’s Top Marques event
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Plans call for the ArcaBoard to be "officially introduced" at Monaco’s Top Marques event
Company CEO Dumitru Popescu tries out the ArcaBoard
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Company CEO Dumitru Popescu tries out the ArcaBoard

Late last year, we first heard about the hovering ArcaBoard. At the time, people wondered if it really worked as advertised, and whether or not we'd ever hear anything about it again. Well, now its creators have released a new video of it apparently in action, along with an announcement of a lower planned price.

There are more technical details in our previous article, but the gist of the invention is that it can carry a standing 110-kg (243-lb) human passenger, not unlike the hoverboards from Back to the Future: Part II.

Up to 272 hp and 430 lb (1913 N) of thrust is created by 36 high-power electric ducted fans, but not for very long – one charge of its batteries is only good for a maximum ride-time of about six minutes, or a range of about 2 km (a little over a mile). Its top speed is 20 km/h (12.5 mph).

Plans call for the ArcaBoard to be "officially introduced" at Monaco’s Top Marques event
Plans call for the ArcaBoard to be "officially introduced" at Monaco’s Top Marques event

When we last heard about it, prices were estimated to start at US$19,900. Now, however, thanks to new production partnerships worked out with American and Chinese companies such as Southwest Composite Works Inc. and Eco Molding Co., that figure has dropped to $14,900.

It has also been announced that replacement battery packs will be offered, so that users can swap in a freshly-charged pack in less than a minute instead of waiting 35 minutes for a recharge.

Plans call for the ArcaBoard to be "officially introduced" on April 14th at Monaco's Top Marques event. Pre-orders can be made via the link below, with deliveries scheduled to begin in April. In the meantime, check out the just-posted video of one of the prototypes.

Source: ARCA Space Corporation

ArcaBoard moves fast to delivery start on April 14th, 2016

15 comments
15 comments
Brett Johnson
See? Dreams do come true. It's almost here. :)
Norm Frey
Some of the pictures seem to show it hovering several feet off the ground. I believe it would take much more power for it to hover 2 feet off the ground than to hover just a few inches off the ground. that would extend battery life, reduce the number of fans necessary etc making the whole thing lighter and easier to power, lowering cost, etc.
Mirmillion
Also works great as a sidewalk sweeper and leaf blower. Presume it has an integrated stability gyro to prevent tip-overs and unrecoverable lateral angles.
PlanetPapi
Good progress. As Brett said, you don't have to ride more than few inches off the ground. As time goes by, I can see slimmer versions of these roaming on the streets...street legal rules aside. We have duct fans, LiPos for a while now. I wonder why anyone think of this approach before. Seems simple and logical method compared to other hover boards that needs a special elements on the ground (Hendo hover board). Good progress, team!
jerryd
This needs to be far larger in order to get any flight time and make it more stable. A larger one needs much less Hp and battery power. And just 4-6 rotors and 4'-6' dia each to get higher efficiency, more battery carrying. And if not on level land you will be going downhill. Best play with it over water. The problem is dirt, gravel, etc this will kick up and shower the driver and anyone near it on land. You need to get up and moving or the joy of a dirt shower will be yours.
Howell Haus
Alfred P. Sloan said, essentially, that no decision is a good decision without dissent. Apparently, the creators of this product failed to follow that rule. $15K worth of 'why do we need this'...?
Paul Anthony
Where is the skirt? Seems it would help lift and undesirable dust blow out. Or maybe it would make it worse?
pwndecaf
Criss Angel can do it without a hoverboard - much more economical.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
Would have been great for the dirt road I used to live on! Free cloaking device!
Buzzclick
With all the rock music masking the racket this hoverboard makes, it still looks like the rider feels clumsy. They're gonna have to work on this concept; to make it less noisy, smaller, more control, and last much longer than 6 minutes.
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