Box trucks can move huge items with ease, but they are often the trucks you least expect to see parked outside your home for daily use. Isuzu aims to change that with the Elf MUV Concept, which was unveiled at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon. The crew took a standard Isuzu Elf, a dependable medium-duty truck used for hauling goods and doing construction work, and converted the cargo section into a nice living room that you’d want to spend time in.
East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) introduces a revolutionary Shinkansen train that defies all norms. This new train features seven unadorned white carriages with no seats or passengers. What’s crazier is that it’s designed to transport fresh fish, vegetables, precision electronics, and other high-end items at speeds exceeding 300km/h.
Sergii Gordieiev, the engineer behind “The Q,” is the mastermind behind some incredibly unique innovations, such as transforming regular bicycles into something entirely different. His new project involves disassembling a basic bike, removing the chain and derailleur, and replacing them with a chain composed of 3D printed gears. The end result is a stripped-down single-speeder that delivers power directly from the crank to the wheel, with no sign of chain slap or rattling worn chains.
Autoflight’s Matrix, which is a game changer in the eVTOL category of the aviation world, is the first of its kind to exceed the 5-ton class, with a maximum takeoff weight of 5,700kg (about 12,566lbs). While the plane’s wingspan of 20 meters, length of 17.1 meters, and short stature of only 3.3 meters may suggest that it is a large craft, once inside, you’ll notice that the cabin itself is surprisingly roomy with its 5.25-meter length, 1.8-meter width, and 1.85-meter height, giving you a comfortable 13.9 cubic meters in which to spread out.
Pre-orders for the Velocitor X-1, a single-seater electric aircraft capable of taking off directly from the ground and lifting you above the traffic jam on the road, have just opened. This compact wonder from Michigan startup Velo X Aerospace just happens to arrive at a time when EV vertical take-off alternatives remain extremely limited for the typical buyer. The company has received dozens of reservations for its initial production run, which is set to launch in early 2027.
On takeoff, the Cavorite X7’s wings slide open to reveal 12 electric fans hidden inside. Five on each main wing and one in each forward canard accomplish the job, and they are all battery-powered. This allows the eVTOL to take flight straight from a small pad or helipad. Once airborne and moving forward, the panels close over the fans, forming a lovely, smooth seal. A rear gas-powered propeller then takes over, and the wings lift in the traditional airplane manner.
The Creative Channel showed us the jet bicycle they built, which is just a regular bike with a very unique makeover. Instead of a plain old electric motor, four high-speed ducted fans, sometimes known as EDF units among model enthusiasts, conduct the pushing. They are going at a blazing 75,000 RPM, which is quite fast to say the least.
A bicycle wheel with ropes instead of spokes seems like a prescription for catastrophe, but someone has managed to design one that rolls, retains tension, and can support the weight of a rider touring over rugged terrain. The end effect is stunning, halfway between the DIY inventiveness of a backyard shed and a genuinely innovative rethinking of how wheels work.
Honda automobiles have always handled road trips well, but the new Base Station Prototype camper trailer enhances that sense of capability and extends it even further into the wilderness. It was recently presented, and it is a completely new design developed by Honda’s US R&D teams in Los Angeles and Ohio. The goal was to make camping easier, especially for families who own tiny SUVs or electric crossovers.
In the early 1990s, Japan created a remarkable ship that moved over water without the use of propellers or turbines. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completed the project in 1991 and called it Yamato-1. It made its inaugural excursion across Kobe Harbour under its own power in June 1992, marking a historic milestone as the first full-sized ship to cruise along using magnetohydrodynamic propulsion to transport people.