The fleet of water taxis in Oklahoma City, Okla., have made a shift from their previous gasoline motors to a greener electric motor. The Torqeedo Cruise electric motor has been installed on six 40-passenger water taxis in an effort to make less impact on the environment. This upgrade will not only help the environment in the long run, but will also be more economic due to savings on maintenance and fuel costs.
The Torqeedo Cruise's energy is supplied by a series of lithium batteries that may be recharged at any one of the four charging stations that are built along the Bricktown canal for the taxis. The motor is also waterproof and supplies 9.9hp with a display to show the captain all the energy available to the motor including how much range is available and when it's time for a recharge. It's naturally understood that electricity and water do not mix well, but luckily, safeguards for the motor have been put in place to mitigate any potential hazards. The batteries are protected against short circuits, overloads, deep discharge and wrong polarity so people can feel at ease and just enjoy the ride. (www.toqeedo.com)
