The new hybrid speedboat from Frauscher (Photo courtesy of California Chris Craft)
A green technology popular on highways
is now ready for the waterways – just in time for
summer. Only one catch – the world’s first hybrid
recreational boat could put a hole in your wallet.
Tamara Keith reports:
Transcript
A green technology popular on highways
is now ready for the waterways – just in time for
summer. Only one catch – the world’s first hybrid
recreational boat could put a hole in your wallet.
Tamara Keith reports:
The Frauscher hybrid speedboat comes from Austria with a price tag of more
than $100,000.
Ralph Silverman, president of California Chris-Craft, the US importer, admits
it’s the ultimate niche item. But he says he already has several buyers interested
in this green alternative to wasting fuel idling at the dock.
“At low speeds you run the motor completely on electric power so there’s no
fuel burn, no pollution and no noise. And once you get outside your
restricted speed zone, you click over to diesel and run it like a typical boat.”
(boat sounds)
Silverman believes this technology will eventually be applied to lower cost
boats too.
For The Environment Report, I’m Tamara Keith.