Arkup unveils its latest solar-electric modular houseboat, complete with Starlink
Arkup, a sustainable and liveable marine vessel developer, has unveiled its latest solar-electric houseboat before it will be on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show this month. This modular solar yacht can be configured to house up to two bedrooms and baths and can sit stationary or traverse the waters, all without any emissions. Oh, and it has Starlink internet.
Arkup is a Miami-based company founded in 2016 to provide customers with state-of-the-art livable yachts that are luxurious and resilient but also sustainable. The company gained some clout with its initial solar-electric houseboat, described by Arkup as a “liveable yacht” – the ARKUP 75.
The company should not be confused with ArkHAUS, a fellow Miami-based company establishing an exclusive, zero-emissions social club on the water and an incoming water taxi service.
We covered the debut of that vessel back in 2017, and since then, the ARKUP 75 has been featured on Netflix, National Geographic, in the New York Times, and Architectural Digest for its “Avante-Garde life-on-water” design.
If you’ve visited Miami since then, you may have spotted the solar electric houseboat parked off the MacArthur Causeway between the city proper and Miami Beach. As an encore, Arkup has taken the sustainable technologies that made its first electric houseboat so unique and implemented them in a new vessel called the ARKUP 50, which is more versatile while remaining luxe and eco-friendly.
Arkup unveils ARKUP 50 solar electric houseboat
Before it is on display for the first time at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), Arkup has publicly unveiled the next entry in its Liveable Yacht Series of solar-electric houseboats. The ARKUP 50 features an upper and lower deck with configurable floor plans in which customers can choose a studio, one bedroom/one bath, or a two bedroom/two bath.
As you can see from the images above, the new design also features spacious wrap-around exterior decks that can fold up during transit, 12 kW solar panels throughout its roof supported by a 20 kW inverter, and a unique jack-up anchoring system for extensive periods off the water, Per Arkup:
Designed with state-of-the-art technology, our innovative self-stabilizing, self-lifting jack-up anchoring system, elevates the livability of our vessel, setting it apart from traditional yachts. This advanced system allows the yacht to rise above the waves, effectively eliminating any movement that can cause discomfort or sea sickness. Whether you’re enjoying a peaceful evening in the bay or hosting guests on the lake, the stability provided by this technology creates an experience akin to being on land, allowing you to fully relax and enjoy life on the water without the usual challenges of rocking or swaying. This system enhances comfort and broadens the possibilities for living aboard.
Customers who vie for the mobile version of the ARKUP 50 electric houseboat will be able to navigate waters via a 50 kW inboard electric thruster with 180° rotation and 23” propeller, as well as a 10 kW thruster on the bow. Those motors are powered by a 75 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery pack that can recharge in six hours using the solar panels.
That pack provides 13 nautical miles (NM) of range at 8.5 knots (9.8 mph) and up to 32 NM at 4 knots (4.6 mph). Customers can also opt for an air-cooled 15 kW diesel Genset add-on that boosts the range to 500 NM (4 knots).
Whether it’s up on the top deck, in the galley (which is a bonafide kitchen), or in one of the bedrooms, Arkup has designed its latest solar-electric houseboat with its “live in the view” philosophy in mind. Large windows are present throughout the interior, and the decks offer 360-degree views of the marine scenery, whether you’re jacked up for an extended stay or out cruising around.
Arkup also shared that its vessels are always connected to the internet through StarLink, allowing owners to monitor and adjust their yacht’s operations through a mobile app.
The ARKUP 50 starts at $900,000 and can go as high as $1.6 million for the two-bedroom configuration. As mentioned, the solar-electric houseboat will be displayed at FLIBS from October 30 to November 4. You can see more of ARKUP 50 in the video below:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Uber launches true driverless robotaxi operations in the Middle East with WeRide [Video]
![Uber launches true driverless robotaxi operations in the Middle East with WeRide [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/11/Uber-Middle-East-WeRide.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Just over a year after Uber announced a strategic partnership in the Middle East with autonomous vehicle specialist WeRide, the companies have officially begun offering the public robotaxi rides without a driver or safety operator present on board.
Today’s latest milestone involving robotaxi operations in the Middle East dates back to September 2024, when Uber and WeRide initially announced a strategic partnership to bring autonomous rides to the UAE.
Three months later, the partner officially launched autonomous rides in Abu Dhabi, but with a safety operator present in the vehicle. At the time, Uber and WeRide said the supervised rides were “laying the groundwork” for a true driverless commercial operations planned for 2025.
That day has come.
WeRide and Uber have confirmed that commercial robotaxi operations are officially underway in Abu Dhabi without any safety operators on board – a first for the Middle East.
Uber rolls out Middle East robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi
Uber shared details of its latest milestone late this evening or in the afternoon in the Middle East, depending on where you are.
Beginning today (Wednesday) customers in Abu Dhabi can select an UberX or Uber Comfort ride that enables them to be matched with a fully autonomous WeRide robotaxi without a driver inside. Riders in the Middle East can also increase their chances of hailing one of these driverless rides by select the “Autonomous” option in the Uber app.
In order to qualify, the prosepctive rider’s route must be part of WeRide’s operating territory in Abu Dhabi and a dedicated WeRide GXR Robotaxi vehicle (seen in the featured image above) must be available.
Similar to Uber’s partnership with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, the global rideshare network will oversee fleet operations for WeRide vehicles, handling end-to end rider support. It has tapped Tawasul Transport to facilitate vehicle cleaning, maintenance, inspections, charging, and depot management. WeRide will remain responsible for vehicle testing.
As you may recall last spring, Uber and WeRide announced an expansion to their strategic partnership beyond the Middle East (although Dubai will be the city for its next robotaxi rollout). Over the next five years, Uber and WeRide intend to deploy true driverless public rides in 15 additional cities, some of which will be in Europe.
As promised, here’s some b-roll footage from Uber showing how riders in Abu Dhabi can order a WeRide robotaxi:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Metro Detroit is about to get a big boost of fast EV chargers, with more than 40 new ChargePoint ports set to come online across multiple sites owned by the Dabaja Brothers Development Group.
The first ultra-fast charging site just opened in Canton, Michigan. It’s owned and operated by Dabaja Brothers, who plan to follow it with additional ChargePoint-equipped locations in Dearborn and Livonia.
“We started this project because we saw a gap in our community – there was almost nowhere to charge an EV in Canton, and a similar lack of charging across metro Detroit,” said Yousef Dabaja, owner/operator at Dabaja Brothers.
Each metro Detroit site will feature ChargePoint Express Plus fast charging stations, which can deliver up to 500 kW to a single port, can fast-charge two vehicles at the same time, and are compatible with all EVs. The stations feature a proprietary cooling system to deliver peak charging speeds for sustained periods, ensuring that charging speed remains consistent.
The stations operate on the new ChargePoint Platform, which enables operators to monitor performance, adjust pricing, troubleshoot issues, and gain real-time insights to keep chargers running smoothly.
Rick Wilmer, CEO at ChargePoint, said, “This initiative will rapidly infill the ‘fast charging deserts’ across the Detroit area, allowing drivers to quickly recharge their vehicles when and where they need to.”
Read more: ChargePoint just gave its EV charging software a major AI upgrade
If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!
Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging and Starbucks have officially opened their first DC fast charging hub together, off the I-5 in Red Bluff, California.
The 400 kW Mercedes-Benz chargers are capable of adding up to 300 miles in 10 minutes, depending on the EV, and every stall has both NACS and CCS cables – they’re fully open DC fast chargers.
Mercedes-Benz HPC North America, a joint venture between subsidiaries of Mercedes-Benz Group and renewable energy producer MN8 Energy, first announced in July 2024 that it would install DC fast chargers at Starbucks stores along Interstate 5, the main 1,400-mile north-south interstate highway on the US West Coast from Canada to Mexico. Ultimately, Mercedes plans to install fast chargers at 100 Starbucks stores across the US.
Mercedes-Benz HPC opened its first North American charging site at Mercedes-Benz USA’s headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia, in November 2023 as part of an initial $1 billion charging network investment. As of the end of 2024, Mercedes had deployed over 150 operational fast chargers in the US, but it hasn’t disclosed an official number of how many chargers are currently online.
Andrew Cornelia, CEO of Mercedes-Benz HPC North America, is leaving the company at the end of the month to become global head of electrification & sustainability at Uber.
Read more: Mercedes-Benz is deploying 400 kW US-made EV fast chargers with CCS and NACS cables
If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!
Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024