Project
Sealegs E4
Sealegs, the world leaders in amphibious craft, continues the amphibious boating revolution with the new Electric E4! Blender was pulled in to help with some key elements of the craft design: the Sealegs craft concept, the aft interior design and manufacturing, and the digital dash design for AmpTracs™.
The brief was to develop a craft that was radical, plain and simple. The design needed to exude speed, and a prime example of this is the large windscreen shielding the main console which dominates the front. The project is a bold statement from Sealegs on its capabilities and its commitment to consistently innovate in the category.
Concept & Experimental Category:
Inspirations drawn from the fastest machines on earth were the initial driving force for the overall styling concepts that were the basis for the E4 design. Using mood boards to communicate this design intent, concepts were then sketched up and developed.
Then the real challenge began – turning conceptual drawings into an actual finished product. When designing for an existing hull, there are a number of mechanical constraints to work around. We had to be pretty clever with how we used the space and integrated the new elements in – things were pretty tight, but we love a good challenge.
Spatial awareness of the interior was a key element when considering the seating layout. The designers really needed to balance styling, ergonomics and manufacturing requirements into one final design. CAD models and drawings of the craft were set up as design tools for exploring layouts, and to serve as a framework to develop the seats and table.
The process was largely an exercise in intelligent problem solving to determine the optimal approach to design a craft interior which would provide a fresh new perspective, but also one which would not stray from functionality. The digital dash design underwent a process of iteration to finally arrive at the right look and feel but most importantly the essential data which would be shown.
The final design of the Sealegs Electric is 7.3m weighing 1390KG with a maximum speed of 40 knots. The craft has a maximum drive time on land of 1.5 hours, powered by a 48volt 7kWh Lithium battery. Perhaps one of the most distinctive design features is the 1.8m Acrylic windscreen with double curvature. The craft received favourable reviews and stands as the prime example of functional and aesthetically pleasing design.
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