Searider EVs Are About To Change the Water Sports Game in a Big Way: Fast as Hell!

Folks, for a few months now, the world has been seeing the name Searider in the news. Who they are, where they're from, and why we should be in the loop with their work are all questions we'll be answering today. Furthermore, we'll be exploring the lineup of machines they currently have up for preorder.

Now, Searider is technically considered a French brand, led by CEO Flavien Neyertz, yet the majority of the team, including mechanical engineers and exterior designers, are of Greek descent, and if you've ever been to Greece, you know they love their water sports out there.

However, it's not just the ability to redesign what is essentially a jetski that really makes Searider special, but rather, their approach to the entire industry as a whole; they're onboard with the whole electric and green movement that's sweeping the globe.

That's right; this crew designs and builds electric vehicles! Heck, according to the manufacturer's website, most of what goes into a Searider EV is crafted in-house, including the drivetrain and inverter. They're all about the 'green' way of doing things, working on reducing their carbon footprint in every step of the manufacturing process.

As for what's possible with a Searider machine, let's dive into one of their vehicles. In this case, I've chosen the Searacer to show us what this crew is about. I'll also touch up briefly on the Seacruiser, simply because it's for the less adrenaline-seeking humans among us.

Our journey begins with the exterior of the 'racer. Upon seeing this PWC (Personal Water Craft) for the first time, I felt as though I might actually be looking at some modified snowmobile. That was until I spotted the dual-motor propulsion system integrated into the hull and an obvious lack of any track; what was I thinking?

Yet, it's the front of this machine that I really want to point out. Unlike your traditional PWC, the 'racer breaks the hull in two, adding a massive ski to the front of the EV. It's with this feature that you'll be directing your activity through local waves and along coastlines. I've added a video below showing us just what riding one of these babies looks like, and I can say that it all looks a tad choppy.

As we move our way up the Searacer, the sleek and modern bodywork pops into view, and from the front, this thing looks like a friggin cobra, brought on by the way the body all wrap around to the front, but don't quite meet, sort of giving us a view into the vehicle.

But what about power, how long can we ride this baby, and why should we ever consider dropping nearly €28,000 ($30,400 at current exchange rates) on something like this? I'm getting there, and all this magic starts with the fact that this is an EV, and as such, the battery is where we begin our journey.

Overall, I wasn't able to find out just how large a Searacer's battery may be, but we do know that it will offer up to 50 minutes of ride time. If you've ever ridden a jetski, you know what this means in terms of playtime. Sure, waves and the size of your lunch will affect this number, but there's a neat trick incorporated into each Searider vehicle: the battery is interchangeable and removable, so all you really need is to have a pack or two standing by and go nuts.

Now, that battery will be feeding two motors that can spit out a total of 45 hp, and if we consider that the Searacer only weighs 65 kg (143 lbs), we're able to hit a top speed of 77 kph. That's almost 42 knots, or 48 mph. Yup, it's going to be a whole lot of fun, but messing up is bound to hurt. And that's most of what the 'racer has to offer.

As for the Seacruiser, this is technically the more laid-back PWC from this crew, but I say 'technically' because this bugger can still hit a top speed of 55 kph (34 mph) and does it with just 30 hp. This also has a profound effect on the ride time: up to 90 minutes with this 70 kg (154 lbs) machine. Call me boring, but this seems the more reasonable of the two available models, considering it also just costs a tad under €23K ($25K).

What's rather fun about this model is the way the exterior paneling reminds me of a rather retro moped, something like a Vespa of the Seas. The whole exposed duck-bill ski seems to blend into the rest of the body better as well. As for the headlight, I'm going to take it that Searider has some ideas about nightlife on one of these things.

For now, that's all we really have, and the fact that a third model is on its way too, but until these babies start being delivered and tested by interested thrill-seekers, we have to throw on those swimming trunks and sit tight. I do wonder just how much abuse that front ski can take from oncoming waves.

Then again, the Searacer is even loved and supported by none other than Renault and is part of this automotive group's "5 Mouvements" collaborations. In short, it doesn't look like this crew is going anywhere, so start whipping out those wallets.