Besev VS-9 electric hydrofoil. The 10-seater vessel is undergoing testing and is planned for commercial release. … [+]
Eric Laakman, once the engineering program lead for the original Apple Watch, has transformed into something of a ferry godfather as CEO of marine technology company Vessev.
The New Zealand-based company on Monday unveiled the VS-9, with Lachman at the helm, which it calls “the world's first luxury tourist electric hydrofoil.” It's currently undergoing an initial testing period off the coast of Auckland, and once certified later this year, Besev said the VS-9 will be commercially operated by Fuller's 360, New Zealand's largest ferry operator.
“Fullers360 has an ambition to operate 100% electric or hydrogen by 2040 and foils are certainly part of that vision,” Fullers360 CEO Mike Horn said in a statement.
The 29-foot-long VS-9 can carry up to 10 passengers and the captain at a top speed of about 30 knots (34.5 mph) with a range of 40 to 50 nautical miles (46 to 57 miles).
Interior of the Vessev VS-9 electric hydrofoil ferry.
Unlike traditional boats that float on the water's surface, hydrofoils float just above the water's surface, making them less affected by rough waves and providing a more comfortable ride.
In the case of the VS-9, the company is touting the actual wing structure as a key differentiator that will further enhance maneuverability and passenger comfort while improving energy consumption.
The VS-9 employs what Besev calls an “ultra-high performance hydrofoil system,” which uses precision flaps underwater to vary the shape of the wing to optimize efficiency, based in part on technology used in America's Cup sailboats.
Besev developed the VS-9 in collaboration with Fullers360 and the ferry operator's “decarbonization” partner, NetZeroMaritime.
Eric Laakmann, CEO of marine technology company Vessev;
“The ability to completely remove the foils from the water is a design element we are particularly proud of. We were told it was unrealistic, but we have provided a system that makes it easy for operators to keep the foils clean for maximum efficiency. To our knowledge, the VS 9 will be the only certified passenger electric hydrofoil in the world that is able to do this,” Laakman said in a statement.
The Vessev VS-9 is not the first electric hydrofoil to be used as a ferry.
Tech startup Navier has launched a hydrofoil transportation program in collaboration with financial platform company Stripe. … [+]
In March, Navier, a San Francisco, California-based startup, launched a water taxi service using its N30, a high-speed, six-seater electric hydrofoil, to transport employees of financial infrastructure platform Stripe, a 22-mile round trip from Larkspur in Marin County to Oyster Point near the company's South San Francisco headquarters.
However, the N30 is primarily marketed as a recreational vessel for personal use.
While acknowledging the fact that there are “only a handful” of recreational hydrofoil electric boats on the market, Laakman asserted in his emailed response to our questions that “no boats of this type have passed testing for use as commercial passenger vessels.”
Laakman cites the VS-9's features and its contract with Fullers360 as the basis for Vassev's claim to be “the world's first operating hydrofoil tourist vessel,” explaining, “We will be the first company in the world to certify this type of vessel for passenger use in commercial applications (tourism and point-to-point marine services). The VS-9 will be the first electric hydrofoil vessel to be operated in commercial service by a private operator (Fullers360).”
Laakmann points out that VS-9 includes additional attributes for commercial use, including:
Complete battery structure fire protection and safety system.
Design reviewed and approved by regulatory authorities (load cases, structural design, electrical systems, etc.)
· DNV-GL Design Standards. “By far the most important safety system.”
According to Laakman, several VS-9s have already been sold, with prices starting at $620,000, and he proclaims, “We're calling it the 'Rivian of the Seas,' after the American brand of electric pickup truck and SUV.”
Besev is currently developing the VS-18, which can accommodate 100 passengers.
Indeed, just as the automotive industry is moving towards electric vehicles to improve the environment and reduce fossil fuel consumption, the marine sector is also making a similar move in certain boating segments, particularly electric hydrofoils.
“There are currently 33 million ships in the world, and sustainable ships make up a very small fraction of that,” Laakman said. “By offering huge efficiency gains, hydrofoils will play a key role in this once-in-a-generation change.”
