The all-electric ‘water bike’, from New Zealand-based company, Manta 5, retails from €10,000 and can reach top speeds of 20km/h.
ADVERTISEMENTThis week in Paris, onlookers were treated to the unusual spectacle of cyclists riding the waves of the Seine river.
On the sidelines of France’s largest tech fair, VivaTech, New Zealand-based company, Manta 5 gave a demonstration of their latest water e-bike model, called the Hydrafoiler SL3.
The unusual looking device is a kind of jet ski, designed to cater to water sports enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, without harming the environment.
"The key point of difference is that our bike has no emissions, no wake. You don't need a trailer. It's super, super easy to ride. It's all-around better,” Louis WIlks, head of marketing at Manta 5, said.
The water bike is equipped with a 2.5kw electric motor and a Bluetooth ride and throttle controller and this new iteration features what Manta 5 calls "Easy Launch Technology", allowing riders to launch more quickly than with the previous version.
With top speeds of 20km/h, Wilks concedes that the SL3 is not quite as fast as a regular jet ski but says their model boasts other advantages.
“Yes, maybe you don't go as fast, but you don't need to go fast sounding like an absolute hooligan when you want to enjoy the coastlines and the lakes and rivers and also get a great deal of fitness as well,” he said.
It’s also not exactly cheap, with a price tag starting at €10,000 a piece.
"For the €10,000 price tag, it's not dissimilar to that of a high-end e-bike that you would get for the road,” Wilks explained.
“However, this bike, it's customisable and you can adjust that for different-sized riders. So you could buy one bike for the whole family from dad to 16-year-old son and daughter," he added.
The SL3 can be disassembled into five parts to lay it flat.
The company website says it "fits in any vehicle with the seats down or in the boot space of larger SUV vehicles".
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