sQuba Diving and Driving

Amphibious vehicles are nothing new, originally being use in military operations, and more recently being adapted for a popular brand of city tours. But these WWII military throwbacks are hardly the stuff of personal use.

Well, that may be a thing of the past with the ongoing development of the world’s first fully submersible car. Inspired by the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me,” the sQuba, developed by Swiss automobile manufacturer Rinspeed can dive to a depth of 10 meters and is reported to move, “like a fish in water.”

This is where the sQuba makes its break from vehicles like the D.U.C.K.. Besides being significantly smaller and easier to handle, it is also fully submersible without having to drive along the bottom of the water body. In short, while the D.U.C.K is forced to move like a boat, the sQuba acts like a submarine.

But one of the most intriguing elements of the sQuba is its engine, or rather, lack of. Instead the sQuba is powered by a series of electric motors, one of which is used while the car is on land, and two more which power the car while underwater. These motors are in turn powered by rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries, making the car a zero-emissions vehicle.

What seems to be getting the most press though is the fact that the car floats in the water, until cabin pressure is released by opening the door. Once the cabin is filled with water passengers use air tanks to breath, just as scuba divers do. It may seem like a flaw to design the car to purposely take in water, but this seems to be a necessary safety feature. Should the car have to be exited quickly, the released cabin pressure would allow this, whereas if the cabin was still full of air there is the strong possibility that passengers would be trapped in the car. But the waterproof interior and exterior allow this- just make sure you’re wearing the right clothing.

The sQuba is still a concept car, and will probably stay that way, but for all those James Bond gadget geeks excited to see fiction become reality, the sQuba proves to be a exciting development in automotives.