Mobility takes on many forms: cars, buses, airplanes, little electric scooters left for dead on sidewalks, and for some travelers submarines. The private submarine sector is small, but there’s enough demand that a Dutch firm unveiled what sounds like the segment’s sports car.
Built by U-Boat Worx, and known as the Super Sub, the vessel is presented as the most hydrodynamic (like aerodynamic, but in the water) model on the market. It looks like it emerged straight from the set of a science fiction movie with a transparent, dome-like front end that gives the occupants a nearly obstructed view of what’s ahead, a relatively long tail with red fins, and little wings on either side.
Interestingly, the Super Sub was commissioned by a submarine enthusiast who asked for a machine powerful enough to keep up with large marine life. It’s consequently powered by four thrusters that draw electricity from lithium-ion batteries to deliver a combined output of 80 horsepower. It’s capable of reaching a cruising speed of 8 knots (that’s 9 mph to you landlubbers), which we’re told is 5 knots faster than the average submarine. And it can handle 30-degree climbs and dives. Users will have the luxury of mingling with underwater creatures living up to 1,000 feet deep.
After crawling through the roof-mounted hatch, the pilot and two passengers enjoy what U-Boat Worx describes as “a luxury supercar interior” with individual seats, five-point harnesses, and what looks like a climate control system. There are screens that provides vital information about the Super Sub and its surroundings, and a pair of video game-like joysticks are used to operate the vessel.
U-Boat Worx noted that it has already sold the first Super Sub. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but deliveries are scheduled to start in 2023. We hope that the owner has a large, V8-powered pickup in his or her driveway: The Super Sub tips the scale at nearly 20,000 pounds. Looking ahead, the Super Sub will spawn a full range of models, though details about what that will include haven’t been released yet.
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Source: www.autoblog.com