After existing only in prototype form since at least 2006, the GIBBS Quadski is finally about to become a commercially-available product. The amphibious vehicle can be driven like a regular 4WD quad while on land, but it draws in its wheels and becomes a Jet Ski-like contraption upon entering the water – all within five seconds. At a press conference yesterday in Detroit, GIBBS founder Alan Gibbs and chairman Neil Jenkins announced that the Quadski will be available in select U.S. markets starting next month ... priced at about US$40,000.
The Quadski weighs 1,300 pounds (590 kg), has a 15-gallon (57-liter) fuel tank, and is powered by a 175-horsepower BMW Motorrad four-cylinder water-cooled engine – that engine also features electronic fuel injection, a double-overhead camshaft and dry-sump lubrication.
Both on land and water, the vehicle has a claimed top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h). Users just drive it into the water, then press a button to pull in the wheels and enable its jet propulsion system. Upon returning to land, it is likewise a simple matter to deploy the wheels and switch back to driving mode.
Manufacturing of the Quadski will take place at a plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Plans currently call for the opening of over 20 U.S. dealerships within the next year, starting this November. The vehicle will initially be available in a single-person model only, in a choice of five colors.
The company hopes to introduce the Quadski to other markets, such as Europe and Latin America, in 2014. Additionally, it was stated that the vehicle “will pave the way for a host of other HSAs [High Speed Amphibians] for consumers, sports enthusiasts, law enforcement agencies, first responders and other commercial enterprises.”
GIBBS currently also manufactures the Phibian and Humdinga II high-speed “Amphitrucks.”
Source: GIBBS
If you need to go somewhere that includes land and water, then having both is no use. You'd have to be able to tow your atv on a floating trailer behind the jetski on water and vice-versa on land.
The WHOLE point of this thing is it can do BOTH.
I think this thing would be excellent for boat owners (except for the weight). How many times you have to get something from a shop and you're anchored in a bay. With this thing, you just cruise into shore, and drive up to the shop. Awesome. And 40k is chump change for a megayacht owner.
i could care less about efficiency, the problem is that unless you're using this for commuting, your range on some sort of extended overnight adventure is very much limited by the amount of spare gas you can carry. this vehicle is probably very range limited.
however, for certain types of smuggling , stealth, or military applications, this thing could be pretty sweet.
Salt water can be pretty unforgiving of something like this too. It definitely isn't an easy problem to solve.
Me? I haven't bought a $30K automobile yet.
Can both jet & wheels be running simultaneously?
The perfect application for this is rescue-oriented jobs like beach lifeguards. It is such an obvious solution that I'm surprised it hasn't been developed by others a long time ago.
If it does get adopted by "Rescue" and, say, military orgs like Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, Seals, etc. it will get all the punishment it can take and that will make the 2nd gen version awesome.
As to the fuel efficiency, I think the kind of adoption above will force that issue to be improved as well.
I hope it succeeds so I can buy one with confidence.