First Diving Car
The sQuba is a zero-emission, all electric vehicles 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 10 metres (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 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph). On the surface of water, the top speed is 6 kilometres per hour (3.7 mph) and underwater it is 3 kilometres per hour (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 rebreathers.
The vehicle's body is constructed of carbon nanotubes, giving it the light weight it needs to stay buoyant. The airtight construction of internal systems adds buoyancy giving the car the ability to resurface if power is lost. 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. The sQuba also comes equipped with a laser sensor system made by autonomous cruise control system manufacturer Ibeo to allow autonomous operation.
