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New Zealand's Manta5 set to launch advanced hydrofoil e-bike
If the vision of these Kiwi entrepreneurs is realised, then commuting could be about to get a whole lot different - with the upcoming release of the world's most advanced hydrofoil bike.
Proclaimed as "the next frontier on water", the Manta5 has an electric motor that you can glide over the water using a pedal assist or simply throttling with no effort at all. The carbon fibre hydrofoils make it impressively lightweight, with the motorised version coming in at 20kg and the manual 14kg. A streamlined profile makes the bike hydro and aerodynamically efficient, and although Manta5 believe it can go faster with more R+D, at the moment it can reach an impressive 20km/h.
Manta5 say they are now in the final stages of development to "enhance the ride experience", and although there is no official pricing information or release dates at the moment, we understand via an article on stuff.co/nz that the bikes may be available in their native New Zealand before the end of the year. You can visit the Manta5 website and join their mailing list for updates.
Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story).
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7 comments
Foiling is all the rage in dinghy sailing at the moment. Google "international moth foiling"
The real advantage is getting the bouyant part of the hull with all its wave making drag and skin friction out of the water to reduce your drag and this accelerates the vessel. These bikes seem to sit too low in the water to take advantage of that (they leave a reasonable size wake behind them). Its interesting that they only show them on a smooth surface, they seem to have a "sensor" in front them but the big trick is getting a foiling boat to "contour" over larger waves.
They are using carbon fibre to reduce weight - every extra gramme means a bigger foil.
Once again, technology answers a question nobody asked.
Looks like it sinks when you stop pedaling. That's a problem. It also is made from carbon fiber. It should be polyethylene like most kayaks...no need to get space age on a toy, or ruin the whole thing if you hit a hidden rock or log underwater. I'd bet the price will be around $10k if it is anything like the models in the video.
So I have to ask...why this over a pedal drive kayak?
For a normal displacement hull like a kayak, the speed is limited by its length. To be able to travel at the claimed 20 km/h, your pedal drive kayak would need to be about 17m long.
Using a hydrofoil breaks out of these rules, so it can be faster for the same size vessel.
Edit to add- world record in a kayak over 5km is just over 16km/h, but using a very pointy and unstable boat to beat its bow wave.
"We’re busy putting together the final touches needed to enhance the ride experience"
The cynic in me reads this as "at the moment it handles like a giraffe on ice"!
I wonder how big the market for these can be?
now Mark Beaumont has no excuses for skipping bits of his global circumnavigation
Indeed - round you go again Mr Beaumont, what a slouch!