How 'Flying Boats' Are Bringing Electric Cars to the Ocean — With Help from LeBron James and Tom Brady

Team Aoki's RaceBird glides on hydrofoils during free practice in Doha on February 21. (Photo: Dan Baty/Spacesuit Media)

ec1976e-7837-41e8-a9a1-22a0147fbb71″> Gliding across the water's surface on thin hydrofoils, they look more like low-flying UFOs than boats.

But the E1-series RaceBirds — single-seat electric boats with 6,000-volt motors that can reach speeds of up to 50 knots (93 kilometers per hour) — aren’t rocket science. Instead, they’re part of a rapidly growing sport that’s looking to bring electric vehicles to the water.

These are the aims of the UIM E1 World Championship. The sport, nicknamed the “Formula 1 of the sea,” has already attracted the support of famous team owners such as Will Smith, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Sergio Perez and Virat Kohli.