SeaBubbles: ABB Electric Water TaxiTested
A futuristic, zero-emission new design of water taxi, called SeaBubbles, was successfully demonstrated today on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The vehicle represents a milestone in the development of new forms of transportation that do not impact the environment or place any burden on urban infrastructure.
The water taxi will soon be equipped with the ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS, a software solution that helps vessel operators gather and analyze all relevant data to optimize water travel.
The development of the demonstration craft was supported by the Geneva cantonal authorities and the Department of Energy, Transport and Agriculture (DETA), represented by State Councilors Luc Barthassat and Pierre Maudet, drawing on technology from ABB. Further trials will continue in the months ahead.
The ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS will be deployed by the pilot project beginning in early May. The OCTOPUS system will enable ABB to provide real-time data to the SeaBubbles control center, covering virtually every aspect of the vessels’ operating status.