The challenge with these vehicles is not the floating part. Getting cars to float is something we’ve been doing for a long time. World War II and the needs of the military saw the first boom in the amphibious vehicle business. In Germany, Porsche created the widely deployed “Schwimmwagen,” and in the USA, Ford responded with the “Seep,” short for Sea Jeep. (Hope it didn’t live up to its name!) Amphibious vehicle production continued and expanded after the war. Today there are hundreds of amphibious vehicles, from military vehicles, to trucks, cars, and even bicycles.
But building a car that can dive, maneuver, and resurface has been a lot trickier. That’s why most submersibles are basically submarines with no land travel capabilities. For example, the sleek little Scubster, designed a few years ago in France, looked like a tiny underwater airplane and was driven like a bicycle. However, the pedaling only turned propellers—there were no wheels.