Kiwis are getting closer to enjoying zero-emission travel between coastal cities, thanks to the fully electric Seaglider prototype that has successfully completed its maiden flight.
Ocean Flyer is Aotearoa’s first Kiwi-owned, Seaglider-only company, and it says Seagliders will be a gamechanger for emission reduction.
Ocean Flyer CEO Shah Aslam says “the Government’s ambition for New Zealand to be carbon neutral by 2050 is going to be hard to achieve.”
“We need bold solutions. Electric cars and cycleways alone are not the solution to solving the climate crisis. Seagliders are perfect for our island nation and will help make our transition to carbon neutrality a reality,” Aslam says.
Ocean Flyer says that US aerospace manufacturer, Regent, has successfully flown its prototype Seaglider.
This is a key step in the development of Seagliders, and Ocean Flyer is excited about what it could mean for the future of transport.
“Seagliders are the future of inter-regional transport in Aotearoa New Zealand,” Aslam said.
“Today, we use the knowledge of history to shape the future. It’s an exciting journey to be on and we are thrilled that Regent has hit this pivotal milestone, bringing us another step closer to enjoying zero-emission journeys.”
The agreement with Regent will provide 15 Viceroys, which can hold up to 12 passengers each, and 10 Monarchs, which can hold up to 100 passengers each.
Seagliders are fully electric and will operate over the coastal waters of New Zealand. The craft is designed to initially move forward on its hull then as they gain speed they foil much like an America’s Cup yacht, then take off and fly at about 10m above the ocean.
“This will be a gamechanger for coastal towns on the Coromandel Peninsula and is really exciting,” Denis Tegg, Thames-Coromandel representative on the Waikato Regional Council, said earlier this year.
Ocean Flyer will start operating the fully electric Seagliders in New Zealand from 2025. It’s said it’ll be capable of travelling from Wellington to Christchurch in just one hour, and cost from just $60 per seat, or between Auckland and Whangarei in just 30-minutes, with one-way trips from $30 per seat.
“Imagine being able to get to the Viaduct in central Auckland within 30 minutes for just $30, with zero climate emissions and avoiding a stressful car trip taking upwards of three hours,” Tegg says.
“Within a few years, we could potentially have Seaglider links to other Coromandel Peninsula towns such as Coromandel and Thames/Kopu servicing the catchment in the eastern Waikato region and northern Bay of Plenty.”
New Zealand company Ocean Flyer is trying to raise close to $800 million for the project to link towns and cities with all-electric “Seagliders”, a boat-plane hybrid with top speeds of up to 540km/h.
If it gets off the water, Ocean Flyer would revolutionise transport around Aotearoa and is promising low-cost fares and bus-like frequency through low operating cost of the craft which would dock near many city and town centres.
Ocean Flyer is owned by So Capital, which also owns Air Napier, and it has ordered from a United States startup 25 seagliders that foil as America’s Cup yachts do to take off and when in cruise mode fly about 10m above the sea.
“The craft is very quiet so can be operated at night for freight transport without disturbing local residents, so this is another huge opportunity for Thames-Coromandel businesses to quickly and cheaply move their goods to market”, Tegg said.
“Whilst these types of services might initially be run by commercial interests, there is also the potential for them to be operated as a public transport “ferry” service.
“Operating costs for this craft are about one-eighth of those for a conventional aircraft so they could eventually be a good fit for public transport.
“Waikato Regional Council has responsibility for coastal infrastructure like wharves and jetties and for public transport so the council has to be nimble and flexible enough to plan for these exciting emerging technologies,” Tegg said.
Aslam says Ocean Flyer will continue to work with the Government, councils, stakeholders, and investors to make the fully-electric transport option available for all Kiwis.
Keyword: Kiwis getting closer to zero-emission travel between coastal cities