E-Lixr Is Making a Splash in the Electric Water Taxi Scene
Image Credit: E-Lixr.
I've been buzzing around the electric vehicle scene for longer than a mosquito at a nudist colony, and things are getting interesting. The latest craze? Electric water taxis. And the company leading the charge is none other than E-Lixr.
E-Lixr is the brainchild of Sam Payrovi and Nathalie Paiva, the same dynamic duo behind ARKHAUS, a floating social club that's basically a party on a yacht. But with E-Lixr, they're ditching the champagne and caviar and focusing on something a bit more practical: getting people from point A to point B on the water, without the noise and fumes of traditional boats.
Initially, E-Lixr planned to launch its own fleet of electric water taxis in Miami, starting with a couple of Axopar vessels. But then, they had a bit of an epiphany. Instead of just being another water taxi company, they decided to become the Uber of electric water taxis.
They're creating a global network of electric water taxi operators, all under the E-Lixr umbrella. A one-stop shop for all your electric water taxi needs. Whether you're in Miami, Mumbai, or Monaco, you'll be able to hail an E-Lixr and zip across the water in style and silence.
On the service end of the business, E-Lixr provides operators with everything they need to run an electric water taxi business, from financing and charging infrastructure to marketing and legal support. It's essentially a full-service for water taxi operators.
Image Credit: E-Lixr.
E-Lixr isn't limiting itself to a single type of vessel. They're partnering with boat manufacturers around the world to create a diverse fleet that can handle everything from narrow canals to choppy seas. They're even planning to open a shipyard in the US to help expedite the production of these electric wonders.
But I really like E-Lixr's focus on convenience. They want to handle your entire journey, from your doorstep to the waterfront and back again. Imagine booking a ride on your phone, having a car pick you up at home, whisk you to the dock, where an electric water taxi is waiting to take you across the bay to your dinner reservation. That's the kind of seamless experience E-Lixr is aiming for.
The company hasn't released the exact specifications of any of its electric water taxis yet, but they have given us some hints. The boats will be designed to meet US Coast Guard commercial inspection requirements, which means they'll be safe and reliable. They'll also be equipped with the latest technology, and there will be onboard Wi-Fi and entertainment systems.
The electric water taxis are expected to be comparable to their gasoline-powered counterparts. They'll be able to zip around at speeds of up to 30 knots (34.5 mph) and travel for up to 100 nautical miles (115 miles) on a single charge. That's enough to get you from Miami to Bimini and back, with plenty of juice to spare. As for the price, E-Lixr hasn't announced any official figures, but they have said that they want to make electric water taxis accessible to everyone.
That's big news. Huge. E-Lixr became the company that's literally electrifying the global water taxi industry. I hope those ambitious plans turn into a reality - I can't wait to see what they do next.
