Eco Factor: Speedboat powered by gasoline/electric hybrid engine.
The seekers of high-speed cruising won’t have to put their attempts to go green at stake, as the designers of the Aptera have developed something for the speedboat fanatics. The company has developed what is being touted as the “World’s first hybrid speedboat” dubbed the Epic Wakeboats 23E. The sleek 22-footer burns 50% less fuel and emits 50% less CO2 when compared to a typical wakeboard boat during a 4-hour cruise.
The engine of the speedboat produces the equivalent of 375 horsepower, capable to catapult the boat to a speed in excess of 36mph. The lithium-ion batteries can be charged with a conventional 220V socket, and will allow the 23E for an hour of wakeboarding session without using a single drop of gas. When the batteries run out of juice, the gasoline engine not only ensures you have a safe ride home, but also recharge the batteries so you can soon go back to the zero-emission electric engine. The cruiser will debut in July and will cost $150,000 initially. Later versions that are expected to run on a diesel/electric engine will cost $70,000 and are expected to be launched sometime in 2012.
The Dark Side:
The electric-only engine is just good enough for an hour of wakeboarding, after which the conventional gasoline engine kicks in. Future machines have to make more use of electricity than fossil fuels. We expect the 2012 version to perform better in that respect.
Via: Wired
