The Swiss Company Rinspeed has developed a new concept car called "sQuba", which is the world’s first ‘green’ diving car. This innovative car is capable of driving on roads just like a normal car, yet it can also be turned into an amphibious vehicle capable of diving, reaching depths of up to 10 meters (33 feet). It is no accident that this concept car looks like it was taken out of sci-fi movies, as indeed such movies inspired the cars creators. sQuba will be exhibited at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.
"sQuba" is constructed out of carbon nano tubes – an ultra strong yet light material, making the "sQuba" significantly lighter than other cars of its size. The car has room for a driver and a passenger and in order for them to be able to breathe while the car is submerged, a self-contained on-board system supplies the vehicle’s interior with fresh air.
The "sQuba" diving car is equipped with an electric motor with powerful torque that drives the rear wheels. When the car is underwater, it is able to advance thanks to two propellers in the stern and two powerful jet drives in the bow, which push the car forward. Since "sQuba" uses an electrical engine it will not pollute the sea when it dives.
When seeing this concept car, you might be reminded of the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me", where James Bond drove his Lotus Esprit into the sea and the car turns into a submarine.
Frank M. Rinderknecht, Rinspeed’s CEO, noted that this movie was one of the sources of inspiration for the sQuba car’s design: "And exactly thirty years later, this amazing – yet at the time animated – film sequence materializes and becomes reality, in today’s world". Unfortunately, the company added that "sQuba" will "remain most likely – as its predecessors – a unique and exclusive one of a kind vehicle."
TFOT (The Future of Things) previously covered quite a few concept cars. These include a concept vehicle called M400 Skycar that can execute vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) like a helicopter, fly like an airplane and drive short distances on the ground like a car, CCXR – a new bio-fuel powered sports car, Honda’s "PUYO" gel-like car, and the world’s first "water powered" car.
More information on Rinspeed’s "sQuba" can be found on the company’s website.
It’s good news for those who weren’t able to attend last year’s DAN® Technical Diving Workshop in Durham, N.C. The proceedings from the workshop are now 
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