If one vehicle stood out amongst the power boats, kayaks and yachts at this month's Miami International Boat Show, it was the EGO, an electric semi-sub by South Korean manufacturer Raonhaje.
It isn't so much a submarine as a pontoon boat with an underwater cockpit. The cockpit is flanked on three sides by thick, acrylic windows. Up top, above the waterline, the central hull has two pontoons for buoyancy and sunbathing. You can also enjoy the view above the ocean on the cabin's LCD monitor, which is linked to a high resolution camera up top.
The big draw to the EGO, says Raonhaje, is its ease of operation. Instead of a typical boat-style throttle lever, the sub has a foot-pedal located under the dashboard, just like a car. There's also a steering wheel, and a simple forward/backward toggle switch.
EGO is a little more than 8 feet tall and 10 feet long. It weighs 3,500 kilos. Power comes from a dozen 8-volt deep-cycle marine batteries that drive a pair of 2 kilowatt (2.6 horsepower) motors. It will run for about eight hours at cruising speed and for four hours at four knots, its top speed. Plug it in to the mains to charge up the battery, and you're looking at a six to nine hours before you're ready to go.
No word on price when the EGO is available in October. The company sees resorts buying these things, along with the well-heeled. A four-seater is under development.
This post was written by Mark Brown of Wired UK.
Photo: Raonhaje
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