An eco-friendly alternative to city travel has emerged in Paris where a new type of boat may become a pleasurable and beautiful part of the city’s transport network. The “Sea Bubble” flying water taxis are inspired by the aeronautical industry. They use a unique form of hydrofoil technology that combines the steering/navigational system of boats with design elements from aeronautic and automotive engineering. The result is an elegant craft that literally flies over the river. It is 100% electric with a lithium battery, and can potentially travel at the same speed as a car. People who want a ride can order the sea bubble taxi via an app, much like with Uber.

SeaBubbles’ CEO Anders Bringdal has major plans for the company.  In addition to the roll-out in Paris, the company plans to be in 50 cities within the next five years. Using the world’s waterways to transport people from A to B with zero emissions and zero noise, could lead to a new way of moving within cities. This builds on a trend of cities looking to the water to find new modes of transport. In London the travel card is already accepted on the iconic river boat, but the flying taxis literally take this to another level.