New Zealand-based electric hydrofoil boat manufacturer Vessev announced exciting expansion plans to the US this morning. The new office is its first at the international level and will be the new headquarters for Vessev’s overseas operations as it looks to “establish a strong market presence in the US.”

Vessev is an eco-friendly boat builder founded in Auckland, New Zealand, a few years ago before coming out of stealth mode in May 2024. Until today’s news, the company only operated there and has been conducting sea trials of its flagship vessel, an electric hydrofoiling boat called the VS–9.

Since then, we’ve kept tabs on the sustainable marine startup, which has inched closer to commercial operations and tourism in NZ. Last year, we learned that Vessev had secured its first customer in NetZero Maritime – the green technology team at Fullers360 – New Zealand’s largest ferry operator.

Last September, the company shared images and footage of its first completed VS–9 electric hydrofoil boat alongside news that it would begin transporting passengers as soon as certification was complete. By January 2025, Vessev had started commercial operations, but again, only in its native New Zealand.

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Today, however, Vessev announced an expansion into the US market with a new office and has appointed its first Director of North American hydrofoil operations.

Vessev looks to bring its electric hydrofoil boats the US

Vessev shared details of its plans to bring its electric hydrofoil boats into the US market, which will include local manufacturing and create new jobs. The company announced it has appointed marine technology veteran Josh Trout as the North American Director spearheading the new operation. Trout spoke about his new role to bring Vessev’s hydrofoil tech to US soil:

I’ve worked at the bleeding edge of marine technology for over 20 years, and the innovation and forethought of Vessev’s unique hydrofoiling technology is unparalleled. I have complete confidence that I can support the company’s US growth strategy with both sales and extending our reach in international markets. We are also exploring the opportunities to build our state-of-the-art vessels in the US, which will both create jobs and set the foundations for our service and support business in the US.

Trout will lead Vessev’s US expansion, helping set up shop locally to pave the way for local production of the company’s electric hydrofoil vessels like the VS–9 while developing and streamlining the company’s business development in the region.

Much like its goals in New Zealand, Vessev hopes to deliver sustainable marine vessels to US-based commercial operators and private customers. According to a company representative, Vessev’s new US office will be in Rhode Island.

When Kovaco (Firstgreen Industries) released its Elise CBL last year, it was the world’s first cabinless, remotely operated electric skid steer. This year, the company’s bringing another “world’s first” to America’s job sites. Meet CyberX – a machine that Kovaco claims is the world’s first, commercially available electric, remote-control mini track loader.

Like its wheeled sibling, the new CyberX is designed to enable fully remote operation, thereby reducing the risk of operator injury or exposure to hazardous materials in high-risk environments like indoor demolition in older buildings (asbestos), hospitals (biohazards and radiation), and more (more bad stuff). And, because it’s electric, it can do so without adding diesel exhaust emissions, themselves a known carcinogen, to the list of hazards faced by its operators.

While the safety, noise, and environmental benefits to Kovaco’s newest model are huge, the CyberX’ features and specs would be impressive enough on their own.

CyberX quick specs

• Operating weight: 1250 kg (2,755 lbs.)
• Rated operating capacity: 450 kg (992 lbs.)
• Hydraulic oil flow: 5.3 gpm
• Nominal pressure: 1,813 psi
• Hinge pin height: 86″
• Dump height: 68″
• Reach at max height: 19″
• Ground clearance: 4″
• Rated IP65 for weatherproofing for operating in rain and snow
• Separate hydraulic pump for loader functions and power attachments
• Attachment leveling and lift-arm float functions
• Power-operated quick coupler
• Mobile IoT (Internet of Things) gateway for fleet management telematics integration, diagnostics and over-the-air updates
• Tracked undercarriage designed to handle soft surfaces and a low center of gravity for stability on rough or sloped terrain
• Working temperature range of Rated IP65 for weatherproofing for operating in rain and snow.
• Separate hydraulic pump for loader functions and power attachments
• Attachment leveling and lift-arm float functions
• Power-operated quick coupler
• Mobile IoT (Internet of Things) gateway for fleet management, diagnostics and over-the-air updates.
• Tracked undercarriage designed to handle soft surfaces and a low center of gravity for stability on rough or sloped terrain
• Working temperature range of -4°F (-20°C) to 113°F (45°C)
• Maximum speed of 3.4 mph under full load, with a climb capacity of up to 18%

“The new model will take indoor and underground excavation to a new level,” Ken Pederson, a sales manager at Evolution Mechanical and authorized Firstgreen Industries distributor, said of the CBL. “With zero emissions, this unit is the only working model in the industry that does not require ventilation for your onsite workforce. Safety, functionality, and cost-effectiveness.”

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The CyberX is available for order at Kovaco/Firstgreen dealers with more than a dozen attachments at launch, including a hydraulic hammer, auger, ripper tooth, tree cutter, and a range of buckets. The CyberX can also be equipped with a heavy-duty demolition kit designed to protect the tracks and machine from damage on even the most extreme job sites.

Electrek’s Take

As experienced heavy equipment operators become harder and harder for companies to come by, investing in remote operation technology that improves their working conditions while improving their long-term health and safety isn’t just a cause that’s morally compelling — it’s good business.

And the CyberX? In addition to looking like it would be a ton of fun during a zombie apocalypse, it’s going to help keep a lot of operators safer than they are today.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Kovaco, via Equipment World.

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla (TSLA) is not coming out unscathed from the newly announced automotive tariffs. He admits that the impact is “significant.”

Yesterday, the Trump administration released an update on its plans for tariffs in the auto industry.

Starting April 3rd, the US will impose 25% tariffs on all cars and light trucks assembled outside the US. The tariffs will also apply to all foreign auto parts, but the US government is extending the exemption to parts coming from Canada and Mexico under the USMCA free trade agreement until May 3rd.

Tesla shareholders believe this was great for Tesla since all vehicles it sells in the US are assembled in the US.

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However, CEO Elon Musk had to throw some cold water on this idea and confirmed on X last night that the impact on Tesla will still be “significant”. He said:

Important to note that Tesla is NOT unscathed here. The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant.

The automaker often claims to make “the most American-made vehicles,” but it still gets a significant percentage of its parts from other countries.

Tesla gets some of its parts from China, which will now be more expensive, and steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada were also subject to tariffs.

We also previously reported that Tesla gets more than 20% of its parts from Mexico for all vehicles produced in the US. An undisclosed percentage of parts also come from Canada.

Tesla also produces a lot of its manufacturing machinery in Canada.

Electrek’s Take

No matter how Tesla fans, or more accurately, Tesla shareholders, are trying to frame this, it isn’t good for anyone, including Tesla.

It will increase the price of all vehicles in the US, making it harder for everyone to buy cars, including Teslas.

While the automaker assembles all its vehicles in the US, it is still buying foreign parts, including from China and Europe, which are subject to tariffs. The same goes for steel and aluminum.

Furthermore, Tesla gets about 25% of its parts from Mexico on most of its US-made vehicles and an undisclosed amount from Canada. These will be more expensive starting in May unless the Trump administration changes course again, which wouldn’t be surprising at this point.

The auto supply chain in North America is quite complicated, but the free trade agreement simplified it. Subsystem parts can travel between Mexico, the US, and Canada several times before being installed in an assembled vehicle in any of those countries.

Now, the US government believes that within a month, it will find a way to break all that down to know exactly what percentage of not only the vehicles, but also those subsystems travelling North America are made in the US and that part will be exempt while the rest will be slapped with a 25% tariff.

There’s very little chance that this will be figured out, effectively, by May 3rd.

On top of all that, you will now also see reciprocal tariffs from virtually the entire world and as we have seen happen in Canada, it’s possible that Tesla gets singled out specifically due to Musk’s proximity with Trump.

This is bad all around. There’s no way to frame any of this in a good light.