Isn't this what we have all been waiting for? A commercially available plug-in electric? This one in particular is capable of operation for 2.5 hours and can dive up to 150 feet. Wait a minute... dive? Yes, this is a submersible vessel, or a submarine. Huh. Pretty cool, and of course, it is alternative transportation!

There are two versions of the vessel available, a one-seater and a two-seater for those who wish to take on a passenger. The maximum speed is only about 3.5 mph, but this isn't about speed, it's about inexpensive personal underwater transportation. With three-quarters of the earth covered in water, perhaps we should give this idea some serious thought? With the recent inventions of solar powered boats, how cool would it be to attach one of these to a solar boat and be able to have your own underwater adventures with very little impact on the environment? Plus, you could be almost self-sufficient; you would never need to come ashore to refuel your vessel - water for yourself, on the other hand is a bit of an issue, isn't it?

Back to reality - is this really practical? Not really, unless you live in an area like Venice where you could actually get around in a watercraft. But it's cool nonetheless!

[Source: UBoatWorks via Gizmag]