It is something out of a James Bond movie -- a car transforming into a boat while driving into the water. But it’s not Hollywood magic, it’s Southern Californian engineering and the ambition of the developers from WaterCar.
A new amphibious vehicle that can traverse through land and water is making a splash in Long Beach with its unique abilities.
“It’s like a neighbor vehicle, like an electric golf cart,” said David March, co-owner of Fountain Valley-based company WaterCar. “If you live within 5 or 10 miles from the water, then you are able to drive right down into the water (on one charge).”
The family team behind the company said what makes this creation so unique is that it’s a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid technology allows the car to use its battery power as a car and gas as a boat. Owners can charge it at home by plugging it in or while the gas engine is powering up the alternator on the water.
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“It’s electric,” said Michael March. “So, it is silent and it’s got quite a bit of torque, sort of like a Tesla.”
It doesn’t go as fast as a Tesla, however. Its speed averages at about 25 miles per hour on the road and 45 mph on the water.
“These aren’t cheap,” said David March. “They are all handmade and they are made out of high-strength aluminum. So, they are north of $100,000.”
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WaterCar's owners said they hope to bring that price point down once they start mass-producing them.
This isn’t the first amphibious vehicle the Marches created. In 2008, the owners showed NBC News’s Lester Holt the first rendition of the ‘WaterCar.’ It looked more like a sports car than a boat.
Customers demanded more of a “boat-centric” design. The company made the switch and went green with the electric car battery.
It’s designed to switch out the gas boat engine in the future to comply with impending state requirements and go fully green.
“It’s fun, that’s what it’s all about,” said Michael. “That’s what boating is all about.”
