SeaBubbles

SeaBubbles is a startup created by Alain Thébault and Anders Bringdal in 2016. They design and manufacture electric boats, called hydrofoils the size of small cars. It is proposed they could be used as water taxis in cities.[1][2]

Seabubbles prototype

History

Founded by Alain Thébault, designer of the world record breaking Hydroptère, who conceived the idea and Anders Bringdal, a four-time windsurfing world champion.[3] They brought together in France a team with skills in hydrodynamic designing. Finalizing a design in 2016 for a five-person SeaBubbles water taxi.[4][5][6]

After testing a ⅛ scale prototype, in July 2016 they raised capital of €500,000 to fund the next stage.[7] Full size prototypes were built and tested on the Seine in Paris in 2017, operating between two landing stages.[8][9][10] As of December 2019, 40 units had been ordered.[11]

Design

Designed to operate in a no-wake zone, the SeaBubbles rises after a few meters and reaches a speed of 11 to 15 km/h (6 to 8 kn), on four skids. This reduces water drag by 40% and increases efficiency,[4] allowing speeds of up to a potential 46 km/h (25 kn).[7]

The SeaBubble is powered by two electrically driven propellers attached to the rear skids. The electric power is replenished at the landing stage by using a mixture of solar panels and turbines to charge the batteries.

A full size prototype was tested in March 2017 Prototype test.

Eco friendly

The Bubble is silent and as it makes no wake, it will not erode river banks. It uses electricity thus it has no emission on the trip.[4]

References
  1. "Skip Down the Seine in a Flying River Taxi". Bloomberg.com. 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  2. "Seabubbles – a new hydrofoil taxi for city rivers". The Independent. 2017-01-23. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  3. "5 Emerging Technologies That Could Shape Our Future". Alabrava.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  4. "The Project". SeaBubble.
  5. "A bord d'une SeaBubble, voler sur le Léman" (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  6. "Les SeaBubbles testés au printemps sur la Seine". RTL.fr (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  7. "Skip down the Seine in a flying river taxi". Bloomberg. 29 July 2016.
  8. "'Flying' water taxis for Paris". The Connexion. 26 October 2016.
  9. "Flying water taxis highlight French startup frustrations". Reuters. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  10. "SeaBubbles, la bulle écolo qui "vole" sur l'eau". Le Huffington Post (in French). 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  11. "The first 40 SeaBubbles have been ordered and will be on the water this spring". innovationorigins.com. December 10, 2019.
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