- Title: Czech-built amphibious minibus can switch from highway to waterway
- Date: 3rd August 2017
- Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (AUGUST 2, 2017) (REUTERS) PEDAL BOATS ON VLTAVA RIVER UNDER PRAGUE CASTLE PEOPLE RIDING THE PEDAL BOAT LOOKING LIKE A CAR AMPHIBIAN BUS ON THE BRIDGE PEOPLE ON SIDEWALK AND CARS PASSING AMPHIBIAN BUS PASSING AMPHIBIAN BUS DRIVING IN TOWN VARIOUS OF PRAGUE PORT SIGNS WARNING OF CARS FALLING DOWN TO WATER DANGER MAN ENTERING THE AMPHIBIAN BUS AND DOORS CLOSING VARIOUS OF AMPHIBIAN BUS ENTERING THE WATER MAN TAKING A PHOTO FROM THE EMBANKMENT VARIOUS OF THE BUS FLOATING THROUGH THE PORT ONLOOKERS MORE OF AMPHIBIAN BUS IN WATER BUS DRIVER DRIVING BUS IN WATER PASSENGERS BUS DRIVER CONTROL PANEL AMPHIBIAN BUS FLOATING ON VLTAVA RIVER (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) INVENTOR ROBERT SUBIK SAYING: "I've been interested in amphibian vehicles since 2008. I had the idea to design this amphibious bus in 2016 and one year and 8,000 hours of hard labour later we finished this prototype." BANKS OF VLTAVA RIVER, SEEN FROM AMPHIBIAN BUS (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) INVENTOR ROBERT SUBIK SAYING: "Controlling it is absolutely the same way you control a motorboat. The only difference is that you step on the gas (like using a car) and turn the wheel to operate the propellers to change the direction. Using the joystick we are able to regulate the forward and backward motion. Going into the water we simply change electronically from ground to the water mode." SUBIK TURNING THE WHEEL SCREEN SHOWING THE WORK OF PROPELLERS SIDE MIRROR VARIOUS OF AMPHIBIAN BUS IN THE WATER ONLOOKERS ON EMBANKMENT VARIOUS OF AMPHIBIAN BUS EXITING WATER SUBIK EXPLAINS DETAILS OF BUS TO ONLOOKERS FRONT OF BUS PROPELLERS WOMAN LOOKING INTO THE BUS DOUBLE WATERPROOF DOOR SEATS INSIDE THE BUS DRIVERS SEAT JOYSTICK WHEEL AMPHIBIAN BUS
- Embargoed: 17th August 2017 16:02
- Keywords: tourism boats amphibious vehicle land water
- Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- City: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- Country: Czech Republic
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SLRL15
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Czech inventor Robert Subik (pron. Shu-beek) has converted a Mercedes Sprinter van into an amphibious vehicle, able to drive on normal roads and then transition into a watercraft.
The vehicle can carry 12 passengers, and Subik plans to drive tourists on sightseeing tours around the Czech capital Prague, including a cruise on the Vltava River.
At first glance it looks like a regular people carrier, but it has a hidden propeller propulsion system at the rear end which allows it to move through water.
The prototype is entirely made of steel; the original parts have been modified and re-welded to make it watertight.
The amphibian bus is equipped with the 40 kW marine propulsion engine. Subik said it's as easy to steer as a regular motorboat, except that acceleration is delivered by stepping on the gas pedal both on land and in the water.
"Controlling it is absolutely the same way you control a motorboat," Subik told Reuters. "The only difference is that you step on the gas, like using a car, and turn the wheel to operate the propellers to change the direction."
Subik said that the idea came to him last year and it's taken about 8,000 hours of work to build the prototype.
Subik's firm, British-registered Enjoy Tech Limited, aims to build more vehicles to ferry tourists around the Czech capital. He says it also has potential as a recreational camper van, but could also be used by rescue services during floods, for example. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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