Landspeeder Classifications
A landspeeder, which can also be called a hover car, overlander or floater, was a type of ground vehicle that hovered and had the capability to traverse most types of ground at reasonably high velocities. It succeeded the earlier hanno speeder.
The ability to hover constantly a meter or two above the ground, both when moving and when stopped, was made possible on the majority of landspeeders by low-powered repulsorlifts. The vehicle was propelled forward using turbine jet engines. Some landspeeders also had weaponry, typically positioned either on the front of the vehicle or above and behind the occupants.
The galaxy was home to countless manufacturers, designers, and models, but the SoroSuub Corporation was the primary force in the landspeeder market both before and during the Galactic Empire's rule.
The majority of landspeeder models were designed to accommodate at least one passenger, and their maximum speeds ranged from 100 to 250 kilometers per hour. The length of most models was between 3 and 8 meters. Many models had cockpits with retractable windshields and canopies, allowing the driver and passengers to choose between being fully enclosed or exposed to the open air.
Landspeeders came in a wide variety of forms, from stylish civilian models made for speed and aesthetics (often featuring eye-catching paint schemes and bodywork) to practical utility vehicles, ranging from compact speeder trucks capable of transporting small amounts of cargo to enormous freighter-like transports capable of carrying extremely heavy loads. Some models were designed specifically for military use (such as the TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank), while others were civilian models that had been modified for military purposes (such as the Flash speeder utilized by the Royal Naboo Security Forces).
It's important not to confuse landspeeders with airspeeders, which could fly much higher. Speeder bikes and swoops had similar functions to landspeeders, though swoops were more like low-altitude airspeeders. In general, the term speeders was used to refer to all of these types of vehicles.
In the first three X-wing series novels he wrote (X-Wing: Wraith Squadron, X-Wing: Iron Fist and X-Wing: Solo Command), author Aaron Allston used the term skimmer as a general term for both landspeeders and airspeeders, even though skimmers are actually a distinct type of repulsorlift vehicle. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia also lists skimmer as an alternative name for landspeeders.