Rinspeed’s sQuba Underwater Car.
Monday, June 15th, 2009

sQuba Underwater Car By Rinspeed.

The sQuba, developed by Swiss company Rinspeed, is the world’s first car that can be driven both on land and under water. The original idea by Rinspeed founder and CEO Frank M. Rinderknecht was inspired by the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. The Lotus Elise is the basis of this car.

The sQuba is a zero-emission, all electric vehicle which uses three electric motors, one for land travel and two for water. It drives on land powered by its electric rear-wheel drive powertrain, utilizing rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Upon entering water, it floats on the surface until the operator floods the interior to submerge it. It can be submerged to a depth of 33 ft, powered by twin electric-powered propellers supplemented by two Seabob water jets. It “flies” when underwater, like a submarine, as it is not designed to drive along the surface at the bottom of the water. The car’s top land speed is 75 mph. On the surface of water, the top speed is 3.2 knots or 3.7 mph and underwater it is 1.6 knots or 1.9 mph.

The vehicle can transport a driver and passenger in its open cockpit. The open cockpit design is intended to allow the occupants to escape easily in case of emergency. When underwater, the occupants breathe air carried in the vehicle through scuba-style diving regulators. Without occupants, the sQuba will surface automatically. The twin water jets mounted on rotating louvers at the front of the vehicle provide steering and lift while it is underwater and the propellers at the rear provide forward movement.

The vehicle’s interior is water and salt resistant so that it can be driven in the ocean.

See the sQuba in action:

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