Corleo, Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Four-legged Robot, to Go on Sale as Early as 2035

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:52 JST, December 3, 2025

A quadrupedal robot by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. will hit the market as early as 2035, the firm announced Wednesday. The firm exhibited the robot, Corleo, at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo as a future mobility solution. Intended for use in mountainous terrain and in gaming and e-sports fields, the company projects the business will grow to ¥300 billion by 2040.

The price is yet to be decided. Expertise from the firm’s motorcycle business is being applied to progress its development.

The robot runs on a hydrogen engine powered by hydrogen fuel and features rubber-tipped “hooves” on its legs. It has a seat on its back where a person can ride, moving in response to the rider’s weight shifts, providing a sensation similar to horseback riding. It aims to be a comfortable means of transportation on rocky terrain where it is difficult to drive vehicles with tires.

The strong response at the Expo led to the decision to commercialize it. “We don’t intend to stop at the Expo; we want to develop this into a major business in a new field,” said Kawasaki Heavy Industries President Yasuhiko Hashimoto during a press conference at the International Robot Exhibition 2025 in Tokyo on the day.