Car Inspired By James Bond Movies Drives Underwater
That new convertible in your garage may grab the attention of Bond-girl look-alikes topside, but how does it handle underwater? Enter the sQuba car, a sexy submersible fashioned after the Lotus Esprit that stole the show in the 1977 Bond flick The Spy Who Loved Me. While the underwater capabilities of the original were a farce, the sQuba is anything but. Priced at $2 million, this zero-emission electric vehicle has to be at the top of every Bond-lover’s wish list. After reaching a land speed of 75 mph, sQuba transitions into a sea-faring convertible until — with a pull of a lever — it descends to 33 feet. Integrated-air tanks and regulators come standard on the drop-top concept car, which was developed by Swiss company Rinspeed, and its passengers can remain at depth for up to an hour. Don’t worry if you find yourself fumbling with your reg: A laser-guided sensor allows the car to steer autonomously, as long as someone’s in the diver’s seat.
The challenge for Rinspeed’s CEO Frank M. Rinderknecht was to ensure that the car maneuvered as well through the water as it does on the street. The first step was to ditch the combustion engine for three electric motors — one for on land, two for the sea. Then, powerful electric stern propellers and bow jet drives were added to improve maneuverability and speed; sQuba is capable of 3 mph speeds on the surface, and nearly 2 mph underwater. Measuring 12.5 feet long and about 6 feet wide, the car is built on the same steel chassis as the Lotus, though it’s safe to say that it’s quite a bit sleeker than 007’s version. Aside from boosting the cool factor, sQuba’s open-top design allows passengers to quickly escape in the event of an emergency, and its interior is resistant to both fresh and salt water. Though Rinderknecht said he doesn’t imagine his creation will be spotted speeding down the highway often, it makes for a great toy for divers with the means.
More Underwater Gadgets:
Exosuit: World's Sexiest Submersible | The Latest in Dive Gear | Great White Shark Tweets
Courtesy Rinspeed.comMeet the sQuba car: A sexy submersible fashioned after the Lotus Esprit that stole the show in the 1977 Bond flick The Spy Who Loved Me.
That new convertible in your garage may grab the attention of Bond-girl look-alikes topside, but how does it handle underwater? Enter the sQuba car, a sexy submersible fashioned after the Lotus Esprit that stole the show in the 1977 Bond flick The Spy Who Loved Me. While the underwater capabilities of the original were a farce, the sQuba is anything but. Priced at $2 million, this zero-emission electric vehicle has to be at the top of every Bond-lover’s wish list. After reaching a land speed of 75 mph, sQuba transitions into a sea-faring convertible until — with a pull of a lever — it descends to 33 feet. Integrated-air tanks and regulators come standard on the drop-top concept car, which was developed by Swiss company Rinspeed, and its passengers can remain at depth for up to an hour. Don’t worry if you find yourself fumbling with your reg: A laser-guided sensor allows the car to steer autonomously, as long as someone’s in the diver’s seat.
Courtesy Rinspeed.comRinspeed’s sQuba car comes standard with two Scubapro regs, and integrated-air tanks for driver and passenger. To submerge sQuba, the driver must simply pull a lever.
Courtesy Rinspeed.comThree electric motors work to propel sQuba: one for on land and two for underwater. The zero-emission electric vehicle is powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
Courtesy Rinspeed.comWhen passengers are on board, sQuba is capable of driving autonomously.
Courtesy Rinspeed.comThe drop-top allows divers to exit quickly if needed; the car automatically ascends if the driver evacuates his seat.
The challenge for Rinspeed’s CEO Frank M. Rinderknecht was to ensure that the car maneuvered as well through the water as it does on the street. The first step was to ditch the combustion engine for three electric motors — one for on land, two for the sea. Then, powerful electric stern propellers and bow jet drives were added to improve maneuverability and speed; sQuba is capable of 3 mph speeds on the surface, and nearly 2 mph underwater. Measuring 12.5 feet long and about 6 feet wide, the car is built on the same steel chassis as the Lotus, though it’s safe to say that it’s quite a bit sleeker than 007’s version. Aside from boosting the cool factor, sQuba’s open-top design allows passengers to quickly escape in the event of an emergency, and its interior is resistant to both fresh and salt water. Though Rinderknecht said he doesn’t imagine his creation will be spotted speeding down the highway often, it makes for a great toy for divers with the means.
More Underwater Gadgets:
Exosuit: World's Sexiest Submersible | The Latest in Dive Gear | Great White Shark Tweets
