"And what about your dreams, what about your crazy, crazy ideas? Can they be successful? Who knows until you step out…and get the help of talented people to bring your dream to life." — Guy Howard-Willis
The New Frontier of Cycling
Meet the world’s first electric water bike! Developed and designed in the Waikato, New Zealand.
A lifelong passion for cycling led Manta5's founder to think about...biking on water.
In 2011, Guy Howard-Willis, inventor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Torpedo7, joined forces with bike designer Roland Alonzo to realise his dream. At first, tests were done secretly in a Tauranga swimming pool. After eight major prototypes, hundreds of designs, and thousands of tests, the water bike launched in 2019.
Guy Howard-Willis, keen cyclist and Manta5 founder, pedalling his dream into a reality.
INSPIRATION
During his TEDxRuakura talk, Howard-Willis describes his inspiration for this new form of biking:
Various Views: Hydrofoiler XE-1
BIGGEST DESIGN CHALLENGE
How does the rider get the bike moving in deep water? The bike’s hydrofoils and electric motor enable the rider to climb out of the water with 15 pedal strokes. This "submerged launch" is more than unique; it's a world-first:
IS IT EASY TO RIDE?
If you swim and cycle, you can ride a hydrofoil bike with practice. The first prototype hydrofoil bike was manual and physically demanding. When an e-bike motor was added, it made it accessible to more people.
TECH LOWDOWN
Variable Electric Assist
Up to 4 hours ride time
Carbon fibre foils
21 kph | 12 mph | 11 kn Top Speed
In-car Transport
31kgs | 68.4lbs total assembled weight
IPX8 motor and housing
Bluetooth Connectivity
Dedicated App
Detachable Battery
Read more at Manta5 Tech Specs
THE FUTURE
Howard-Willis sees the Manta5 as cycling’s new frontier and aims to create a fleet of different hydrofoil bikes:
The Hydrofoiler XE-1 has already been ridden in the U.S., Europe, and has even crossed the Cook Strait. In 2021, it took a victory lap at America's Cup.
"With a cruising speed of around 10 mph, this gives a 15-plus-mile range and offers tremendous opportunities for waterborne exploration." — GearJunkie
"Along with fluid steering, the XE-1 also has the playful feel of a mountain bike, mixed with the supremely smooth gliding sensation you get from a surfboard." — Digital Trends
“I’ve got a dream that it could one day become an Olympic sport!” — Guy Howard-Willis
MOTAT is thrilled to have a Hydrofoiler XE-1 as part of our collection. See it in our Collections Online by clicking here.
Story by Rachel Bush, Senior Exhibitions Curator, and Cliff Hahn, Content Producer, MOTAT
Images and video courtesy of Manta5.
Cite this article:
Bush, Rachel and Hahn, Cliff. 2022. Cycling’s New Frontier. New Zealand: The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). First published: 16 March 2022. URL: www.motat.nz/interactive/cyclings-new-frontier