The Bubble: a Zero-emissions “flying” water car lets you cruise to work and avoid the traffic

100% electric, the Bubble is a zero-emissions autonomous water taxi that silently glides through the water without creating waves.

“Fly” above the water to avoid traffic (and seasickness)

If you hate being stuck in traffic and wishing you had a better way to get to where you’re going, check The Bubble. This “flying” water-car can get you out of rush hour and onto a river, sea or lake for your commute. The water taxi, made by French company SeaBubbles, is silent, produces zero emissions, and glides above the water, so avoiding the motion that causes seasickness.

SeaBubbles plans to bring its water transit system to 50 cities in the next 5 years

The Bubble is a 100% electric water taxi created by the French company SeaBubbles, who say their goal is to lower pollution and provide relief from heavy traffic on busy city streets.

When in motion, the vehicle creates no waves, no noise, and no CO2. When the Bubble reaches 12 kph (7.5 mph), it rises above the water, and this prevents wakes from forming. The absence of sudden movements helps prevent seasickness. 

The Bubble can operate autonomously and comfortably seats five, including a pilot.

SeaBubbles say that ditching roads and taking a water route could cut commutes in half in some cities. For example, the company estimates that going from the Dubai Marina to downtown Dubai would take 43 minutes by car, but just 26 minutes in the Bubble. 

SeaBubble’s new line includes an app that will show users whether a Bubble taxi would save them time and allow them to order a ride. 

The dock is designed to further reduce transportation emissions by capturing solar, wind and water energy to charge up Bubbles between rides.

The company tested its latest prototype on a lake in Geneva last month and is currently conducting a five-week trial in Paris.

SeaBubbles plans to bring its water transit system to 50 cities in the next 5 years. However, to date there is no word on price or future locations. Could you use the Bubble in your town?

Source: Inhabitat

Think Uber… but for rivers

French company SeaBubbles are pioneering the environmentally friendly transportation of the future with their flying water taxis, which are equipped with a battery driven propulsion system. 

Foils, or wings, submerged beneath a waterway’s surface allow the vehicle, designed by Alain Thébault and Anders Bringdal, to rise up out of the water and appear as if it’s flying – and even at full speed the company says a SeaBubble slices smoothly through the water and doesn’t generate waves. 

The water taxis are silent, with around a 80–96km range (50–60 mile) and can glide above the water at speeds of almost 32kph (20mph)

SeaBubbles see their innovative vehicles as an answer to the trend of more people moving to cities:

On the company website they say by 2050 there could be around 10 billion people on Earth, and more than 75% of those could dwell in urban areas. To cut the pollution generated by that amount of people residing in cities, and offer a clean, rapid form of transportation accessible for more people, SeaBubble believe their taxis could offer a solution to a few of these issues at once.

Source: Inhabitat