30 Years on....a lotus that will actually go underwater

Nitin · 12th March 2008, 19:26

If I remember right,the tie up b/w Lotus & some other firm resulted in the sQuba.
Would be a fun thing to have though.. To be able to drive into a pond/lake and see the flora & fauna..

sanjayatarizona · 12th March 2008, 19:34

jeez. If we use that in our Indian waters, we would probably get hit by broken beer bottles / crap /plastic objects (seems to be stuff most commonly dumped into our waterways)

The good part is that i could finally swim the English channel using one of these

.

Cool vehicle..

Jayabusa · 12th March 2008, 20:13

Innovation at it's best!! A great looking, zero emission, dual function or I would say amphibious car which looks good too (Lotus Elise design) and is convertible-which means you can enjoy your swim with the top open (a great view)!
Hats off to Rinspeed and especially to Mr.Frank M Rinderknecht for having created such an awesome machine!

P.S.: IMHO the Lotus Elise has proven itself a legend considering the fact that 2 fantastic pieces of innovation viz. the Tesla Roadster (electric supercar) and the sQuba are based on it.

vivekiny2k · 12th March 2008, 21:38

i think they should provide more coverage on top (wind..err...water screen). losing the scuba gear because of water currents can be fatal at 32 feet under water.

rider60 · 13th March 2008, 11:57

hhmmm, riche rich fantasy to life, is the first thought this car put to my mind.

After all those fantasies might just come true one day with innovators such as one wont they?. Makes me wonder, how far are we from witnessing the james bond and other such cars in production or as successful prototypes.

Scooby STi · 13th March 2008, 22:00

These Rinspeed guys are completely bonkers, I remember there was an episode on top-gear where Hammond sampled some of their lunacy. Its amazing that they are based in Switzerland, the land of the non-committal.

VIPER_SRT · 23rd May 2008, 20:45

Got this information from my friend:

Three decades ago James Bond (then enacted by British star Roger Moore) wowed the world with a car that could 'fly' under water in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me. Only, it was animation and not an actual scene.
But Frank M Interconnect, the 52-year-old automobile visionary and boss of Swiss auto maker Rinsed, has turned a dream into reality with his 'sQuba.'
Rinsed sQuba is the most exciting thing at this year's Geneva Motor Show and is creating many a ripple.

SQuba is the world's first real submersible car that can 'move like a fish underwater'.

It can dive up to 32.8 feet (10 MT) below the surface of the water and can move at a sedate 1.8 miles per hour.

The sQuba has an open cockpit for 'safety reasons' (so that people can get out easily anytime in case of an emergency). The occupants of the car have to breathe compressed air through built-in scuba masks.

SQuba is an electric car that uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and 3 electric motors for propulsion. It is a zero-emission car as documented by the rotating license plate in the rear. It produces no exhaust emissions.

The 'sQuba's' filling station is the water reservoir.? It is no surprise that the vehicle features powerful yet energy-saving LED lighting technology.

The first car that could drive underwater was Quandt's Amphibicar, built in 1968. Only 3,878 were produced but many are still being driven on roads.

Then Gibbs Technologies came up with Gibbs Aquada in 2004 which Virgin boss Richard Branson used to break the speed record for crossing the English Channel.
However, the sQuba seems to be the most exciting of them all.

To drive on the roads, the sQuba 'relies on a stainless coil-over suspension from KW automotive and large Pirelli tires mounted on custom-made forged light-weight wheels from AEZ with 17- and 18-inch diameters.'

Technical data

Measurements
Length ----- 3'785 mm
Width ----- 1''940 mm
Height ----- 1'117 mm
Wheelbase ----- 2?300 mm
Track front ----- 1?470 mm
Track rear ----- 1?520 mm
Ground clearance ----- 130 mm
Empty weight ----- approx. 920kg

Performances
Top speed ----- > 120 km/h
Acceleration 0-80 km/h ----- 7.1 sec
Water speed ----- > 6 km/h
Under water speed ----- > 3 km/h
Dive depth ----- 10 m
Engines
Street ----- Electric
Power output ----- max. 54 kW at 4'500 /min
Torque ----- 160 NM at 1'500 /min
Water - Stern propellers ----- Electric
Power output ----- 2 x 800 W
Diving - bow jet drives ----- Electric
Power output ----- 2 x 3.6 kW Rotinor
Batteries ----- Lithium-Ionen
Voltage ----- 6 x 48 Volt

Propulsion
Power train ----- Rear wheel drive
Gearbox ----- R - N - F
Suspension
Chassis ----- Steel
Body panels ----- Carbon Nano Tubes
Seating capacity ----- 2
Front suspension ----- Double wishbone
Rear suspension ----- Double wishbone
Dampers/springs ----- KW automotive
Steering ----- Rack & pinion

Tyres
Front tyres ----- Pirelli P Zero 205/40 R17
Front wheels ----- AEZ 7.5 x 17"
Rear tyres ----- Pirelli P Zero 225/40 R18
Rear wheels ----- AEZ 8 x 18"
Miscellaneous
Air supply ----- 1 x 15 liter + 1 x 18 liter ScubaPro
Laser scanner ----- Ibeo
Lubricants ----- Motorex

ramie2400 · 23rd May 2008, 20:53

Its been showed on discovery channel in future cars episode,there seems to be no roads in Mumbai and due to heavy rains and flood this car will be very useful to get us reach home

Great piece of engineering..cheers.!!!

12th March 2008, 19:26	#16
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	If I remember right,the tie up b/w Lotus & some other firm resulted in the sQuba. Would be a fun thing to have though.. To be able to drive into a pond/lake and see the flora & fauna..
	() Thanks

12th March 2008, 19:34	#17
sanjayatarizona BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: "God's own Shaap" Posts: 355 Thanked: 10 Times	jeez. If we use that in our Indian waters, we would probably get hit by broken beer bottles / crap /plastic objects (seems to be stuff most commonly dumped into our waterways) The good part is that i could finally swim the English channel using one of these . Cool vehicle..
	() Thanks

12th March 2008, 20:13	#18
Jayabusa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,448 Thanked: 69 Times	Innovation at it's best!! A great looking, zero emission, dual function or I would say amphibious car which looks good too (Lotus Elise design) and is convertible-which means you can enjoy your swim with the top open (a great view)! Hats off to Rinspeed and especially to Mr.Frank M Rinderknecht for having created such an awesome machine! P.S.: IMHO the Lotus Elise has proven itself a legend considering the fact that 2 fantastic pieces of innovation viz. the Tesla Roadster (electric supercar) and the sQuba are based on it.
	() Thanks

12th March 2008, 21:38	#19
vivekiny2k Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: cincinnati, jabalpur,chennai Posts: 1,264 Thanked: 210 Times View My Garage	i think they should provide more coverage on top (wind..err...water screen). losing the scuba gear because of water currents can be fatal at 32 feet under water.
	() Thanks

13th March 2008, 11:57	#20
rider60 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bhagyanagaram. (A.K.A. Hyderabad) Posts: 1,620 Thanked: 56 Times View My Garage	hhmmm, riche rich fantasy to life, is the first thought this car put to my mind. After all those fantasies might just come true one day with innovators such as one wont they?. Makes me wonder, how far are we from witnessing the james bond and other such cars in production or as successful prototypes.
	() Thanks

13th March 2008, 22:00	#21
Scooby STi BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 74 Thanked: Once View My Garage	These Rinspeed guys are completely bonkers, I remember there was an episode on top-gear where Hammond sampled some of their lunacy. Its amazing that they are based in Switzerland, the land of the non-committal.
	() Thanks

23rd May 2008, 20:45	#22
VIPER_SRT BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: PA Posts: 439 Thanked: 189 Times View My Garage	SQuba, world's first swimming car Got this information from my friend: Three decades ago James Bond (then enacted by British star Roger Moore) wowed the world with a car that could 'fly' under water in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me. Only, it was animation and not an actual scene. But Frank M Interconnect, the 52-year-old automobile visionary and boss of Swiss auto maker Rinsed, has turned a dream into reality with his 'sQuba.' Rinsed sQuba is the most exciting thing at this year's Geneva Motor Show and is creating many a ripple. SQuba is the world's first real submersible car that can 'move like a fish underwater'. It can dive up to 32.8 feet (10 MT) below the surface of the water and can move at a sedate 1.8 miles per hour. The sQuba has an open cockpit for 'safety reasons' (so that people can get out easily anytime in case of an emergency). The occupants of the car have to breathe compressed air through built-in scuba masks. SQuba is an electric car that uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and 3 electric motors for propulsion. It is a zero-emission car as documented by the rotating license plate in the rear. It produces no exhaust emissions. The 'sQuba's' filling station is the water reservoir.? It is no surprise that the vehicle features powerful yet energy-saving LED lighting technology. The first car that could drive underwater was Quandt's Amphibicar, built in 1968. Only 3,878 were produced but many are still being driven on roads. Then Gibbs Technologies came up with Gibbs Aquada in 2004 which Virgin boss Richard Branson used to break the speed record for crossing the English Channel. However, the sQuba seems to be the most exciting of them all. To drive on the roads, the sQuba 'relies on a stainless coil-over suspension from KW automotive and large Pirelli tires mounted on custom-made forged light-weight wheels from AEZ with 17- and 18-inch diameters.' Technical data Measurements Length ----- 3'785 mm Width ----- 1''940 mm Height ----- 1'117 mm Wheelbase ----- 2?300 mm Track front ----- 1?470 mm Track rear ----- 1?520 mm Ground clearance ----- 130 mm Empty weight ----- approx. 920kg Performances Top speed ----- > 120 km/h Acceleration 0-80 km/h ----- 7.1 sec Water speed ----- > 6 km/h Under water speed ----- > 3 km/h Dive depth ----- 10 m Engines Street ----- Electric Power output ----- max. 54 kW at 4'500 /min Torque ----- 160 NM at 1'500 /min Water - Stern propellers ----- Electric Power output ----- 2 x 800 W Diving - bow jet drives ----- Electric Power output ----- 2 x 3.6 kW Rotinor Batteries ----- Lithium-Ionen Voltage ----- 6 x 48 Volt Propulsion Power train ----- Rear wheel drive Gearbox ----- R - N - F Suspension Chassis ----- Steel Body panels ----- Carbon Nano Tubes Seating capacity ----- 2 Front suspension ----- Double wishbone Rear suspension ----- Double wishbone Dampers/springs ----- KW automotive Steering ----- Rack & pinion Tyres Front tyres ----- Pirelli P Zero 205/40 R17 Front wheels ----- AEZ 7.5 x 17" Rear tyres ----- Pirelli P Zero 225/40 R18 Rear wheels ----- AEZ 8 x 18" Miscellaneous Air supply ----- 1 x 15 liter + 1 x 18 liter ScubaPro Laser scanner ----- Ibeo Lubricants ----- Motorex Attached Thumbnails Last edited by VIPER_SRT : 23rd May 2008 at 20:49. Reason: Mod: This car has already been mentioned in this forum, please delete this thread if possible
	() Thanks

23rd May 2008, 20:53	#23
ramie2400 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,903 Thanked: 66 Times View My Garage	Its been showed on discovery channel in future cars episode,there seems to be no roads in Mumbai and due to heavy rains and flood this car will be very useful to get us reach home Great piece of engineering..cheers.!!!
	() Thanks