The Lexus Hoverboard Is Real…and Looks Very Difficult to Ride

Get ready to be amazed. Lexus has made good on their promise, following up their much hyped teaser announcement made over a month ago with a full reveal of pro skater Ross McGouran riding atop of their seemingly miraculous hoverboard technology:

What looks like movie magic is actually gravity being held at bay using liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors integrated into the deck partnered with a specially modified skate park in Barcelona with a surface embedded with hundreds of magnets. The steam-emitting, maglev deck comes complete with rail slide grooving underneath, which skater Ross McGouran uses to full effect.

But you’ll notice the Lexus Slide presents an extremely challenging ride, even for someone who rides skateboards professionally. Without any friction or momentum for the rider to counteract, the body’s balance is challenged to stay upright in much the same way it feels impossible to stand on an inflatable pool lounge for more than a couple of seconds. That all said, McGouran was able to accomplish some impressive feats riding the one-of-a-kind Lexus hoverboard, including riding across water and jumping over a car, hinting one day kids will be able to reenact Back to the Future and live in a world where gravity is optional.

Lexus also released a fascinating behind-the-scenes 5 minute video showing how difficult it was to execute an idea into an actual rideable hoverboard.