A new form of eco-friendly transport is being trialled in Paris this week in the form of a zero-emissions, water taxi known as a SeaBubble.
SeaBubbles’ CEO Anders Bringdal explained that the SeaBubbles make no noise, no waves and most impressively no pollution.
The oval-shaped electric hydrofoil boats which fit four passengers per ride are being tested out on the Seine River.
The team behind the new ride hope the boats will be able to run permanently in Paris and other cities starting from next year.
Their ultimate goal is to bring them into cities that are congested and ease up traffic elsewhere to make these cities “flow again”.
If they get approved they will be able to be ordered via an app like Uber for the price of a regular taxi, with no impact on the environment nor on the city’s infrastructure.
“It is the only zero-impact transportation ecosystem ready for the present”.
SeaBubbles website
Image: Le Monde
The designers said they hope to have their SeaBubbles in 50 cities within the next five years with the bubbles “seamlessly integrated into the transportation systems, and a part of people’s daily habits”.
“And if it inspires more and more people to take the waterways instead of the roads, it will be a huge progress for cities all around the world. People will be able to change the destiny of the city, one ride at a time,” they said.
The team behind the eco-friendly ride also noted that if you compare a similar size boat with an engine, you are going to run 30, 40, 50 euros an hour in fuel cost when this one costs you 3 dollars or 3 euros.
So it makes sense both economically and environmentally.
