NEOM taps regent’s electric seagliders for future water transport within the region

NEOM invests in REGENT’s electric seaglider Viceroy

NEOM, the dubbed smart region being developed in Northwest Saudi Arabia, announced on October 25th, 2023, that it had invested in REGENT, the US-based electric seaglider manufacturer whose 12-passenger water vehicle named Viceroy is set to become the region’s water transport. NEOM and REGENT closed a multi-year partnership deal to establish seaglider passenger operations in the region, taking visitors to and from the cities and places in NEOM. The collaboration was made possible through NEOM’s own investment fund program.

Alongside the deal, REGENT will also found a Middle East Research and Development and Training Hub to prepare operators in using its seaglider and monitor the infrastructure and operational readiness of the water vehicle. From 2024 onwards, young engineering and tech graduates working for NEOM around Saudi Arabia will have the opportunity for work placements at REGENT and help the US-based electric seaglider manufacturer to conduct on-site testing to be ready for operational roll-out by the mid-part of the decade.

image by NEOM

Preparing neom’s water transport by 2025

The electric seaglider that is being developed for NEOM is none other than REGENT’s flagship water vehicle, Viceroy. Dubbed a seaglider for combining the speed of an aircraft with the convenience of a boat, the vehicle is expected to operate exclusively over water, gliding in the sea in one of its three modes: hull, hydrofoil, or flight on ground effect. It floats on a hull at the dock, travels on wave-tolerant hydrofoils in harbors, and flies within one wingspan of the surface over open water at speeds up to 180 mph or 289 kph, all the while transporting its 12 passengers on board to and from islands and places.

REGENT says that its Viceroy is 100 percent electric, meaning it produces zero carbon emissions, and that the seaglider is 30 decibels quieter than an aircraft or a helicopter. It glides over water almost noiselessly and is set to be equipped with battery technology that can give it a boost of up to 160 nautical miles of range. Looking at its exterior, 12 propellers can hurl the NEOM water transport forward, with eight redundant electric motors waiting in case of failures. Its pointed deep-V hull can enable safe landing in multiple sea states, and the electric seaglider’s hydrofoils may allow for high maneuverability in ports.

REGENT’s electric seaglider Viceroy plans to enter service by 2025 and to start full-scale prototypes for human flight trials by 2024. This timeline may be in time for NEOM’s scheduled opening by 2024, and, as mentioned, REGENT will also conduct testing on NEOM to ensure it will be ready for operational roll-out by the mid-part of the decade.

images by REGENT