Make waves
It looks like a Jet Ski, you ride it like a Jet Ski – but it’s electric, so it won’t disturb anyone nearby who was hoping for a peaceful afternoon by the water. Making a horrible racket is usually part and parcel of the Jet Ski experience, but Sweden-based Roxen is suggesting an alternative: instead of spending an hour burning 10 litres of fuel and upsetting the local wildlife (not to mention human beings), why not hop on a super-light craft that’s unusually quiet, powered by a 5.25 kWh battery, and yet can reach speeds of 55kph?
Roxen Electric Watercraft
Price: $19,900
“It’s officially registered as a ‘recreational watercraft’,” explains Roxen’s Isak Hemmingsson, noting with a smile that the term Jet Ski is trademarked by Kawasaki. “A normal Jet Ski is very heavy, minimum 200kg, usually more like 300kg,” he says. “This weighs roughly 60kg without the battery.” Weight was Roxen’s primary concern during the design process; its founders come from the world of aerospace and drones, so the maxim was “every gram counts”. Rather than scale down a Jet Ski, early mock-ups featured an electric surfboard with a seat, using rigid inflatables to keep it as light as possible – which in turn makes for more responsive handling. A touchscreen instrument panel shows speed and battery life, and there are smart geofencing options for extra safety and security.
