As technologies evolve, they typically get bigger, faster, and more mind-blowing. Hydrofoil electric boat models, which evoke something out of a sci-fi movie, are no exception.
French company SeaBubbles unveiled its new head-turning water taxi, the Smart Bubble. It builds on the company's earlier craft — the Bubble — and takes it to the next level, as New Atlas detailed.
SeaBubbles shared the Smart Bubble in action in the video embedded above, and viewers can get a quick feel for how smooth and futuristic the ride is with the hull suspended above the water.
The vessel stays in the water, like conventional boats, at low speeds and taps into its two-propeller electric drive system.
The magic happens when it reaches higher speeds, and three carbon fiber foils lift the boat's composite fiber hull out of the water. The foils are aligned with two in the back and one in front, and the effect is a smoother ride guided by sensors that automatically stabilize the boat.
Being out of the water also reduces range-killing drag and cuts down on the boat's wake. The boat's electric engine is also quieter than conventional ones and doesn't produce carbon pollution.
The Smart Bubble is the next evolution for SeaBubbles, with the newest vessel measuring in at 26.2 by 11.5 ft. The more modestly sized Bubble, coming in at 16.4 by 8.2 ft, began operation in Miami in 2019. It expanded to commercial service in France in 2023, per New Atlas.
The Smart Bubble upgrades the Bubble's capacity from four passengers to seven and juices the cruise speed from 14 mph to 18 mph. Its 90-kilowatt-hour battery pack will power up to 75 minutes of cruising, per New Atlas, with a 130-kWh model coming in the future.
The Smart Bubble also has four new patented technologies, such as its retractable foils.
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SeaBubbles' innovation is just one of the exciting developments for electric boats.
Navier, a maritime startup, is also playing in the Hydrofoil electric boat space, as is ENVGO and engineering powerhouse BMW. Meanwhile, hydrofoil electric ferries aimed at commuters look set to hit Sweden and New Zealand soon.
Miami-based Sea Cheetah Corporation is working on a hybrid hydrogen-electric vessel that they say will be 10 times more fuel efficient than aircraft and carry three times as much cargo.
Solar-powered boats by Indian company Navalt are taking on the task of reducing air pollution in heavily populated areas.
All of these solutions can help reduce the pollution that boating produces. Motorized recreational boats account for over 1.5 billion gallons of gas and diesel fuel use annually, per the Environmental Protection Agency.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy says international maritime transport contributes around 3% of the world's pollution.
The timeline for the Smart Bubble to reach commercial production is unclear, but more innovations with the hydrofoil tech could be on the way. New Atlas noted SeaBubbles recently acquired Neocean, a company known for its innovative foiling ideas.
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