if they can get it to run for 3 hours on a single charge then it will be an epic win!

Sounds like the drive and power pack would be ideal for many other propulsion purposes. A simple streamline housing would allow use as a propulsion unit for scuba and snorkeling. Trolling motors.... Emergency \"get home\" motors for small boats..... Small harbor boats, dinghies, sail boats..... Could this and a small generator be cheaper than gas or diesel kicker motors on sail boats and small sport fishing boats???

Excellent. Can\'t wait to see something like this on the market.

You said: \"Special Forces and other military groups will no doubt find application for a completely silent watercraft with a top speed of 65 mph and a range of more than three hours\". I\'d rather said that any mobile going to a top speed pf 65mph is everything but silent. Especialy on the water. But that is true that there shall be much less noise, using an electric motor. Yet, there will be noise. It is not really a \"stealth\" combat littoral ship :-)

Love it. These guys are hitting the target on three or four levels and its great. I wonder if they would be willing to work with us on our Micro-turbine powered electric vehicles? While three hours is enough with a water craft, we need to extend the range on hwy trips. We are expecting 1500 km per manufacturer-standard tank of fuel with multi-fuel capability - Ethanol, E85, Gas or CNG. This would translate well to marine applications.

hmmm, but even at 3 hours of use, you\'re still looking at standard battery charging technology. Unless the batteries for this thing are interchangeable and you get two sets of batteries, you\'re still looking at an 8 hour down time between your 3 hours of fun! *THAT* certainly isn\'t fun! And yes, I know that current battery charging technology can bring a battery up to 80% full in 3 hours, but that requires a 240 volt system, which the United States does not have as standard! Battery technology is still abhorrently lacking when it comes to actual usability! For a car that is being used as a means to get to a destination, batteries can make sense. Batteries that are used *AT* the destination need to be rethought, especially around the recharging part.

Any chance you lot could make a stand up one? FWX is great fun, don\'t think I\'d like to back flip one of those though! Get the technology, chuck it in a carbon fibre superjet hull and I\'ll send you someone to test it :P

The only drawback would be how long this thing takes to charge after the 3 hours of use. Maybe they can have a removable battery \"pod\".

I like the idea, but what happens if tidal currents or rips carry you out past the return distance left in the batteries?
In IC passer-by can loan you a little petrol or diesel, but I can\'t see anyone passing you an extension cord and following you to shore!
Even if you have a spare battery pack sitting back on the trailer, it is getting there that is the big problem.

I would think that some solar panels and perhaps some type of water driven wheel might be employed to capture energy for recharging while in use. There is a lot of energy being wasted in the friction between the hull and the water, harnessing it efficiently could yield some significant results. Good to see more and more r&d into electric powered vehicles of all types.