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Electric boats: A-Z of the 37 best all-electric models

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Electric boats are here and they are quietly turning heads all over the world, we pick out 37 of the most exciting all-electric projects being built right now...

Electric boats are here to stay. What started as a trickle of electric craft over the past few years has turned into a torrent with everyone from Riva to Axopar jumping on the bandwagon.

Hybrid diesel electric boats are by no means a new concept in the marine world, but the latest generation of electric boats, not to mention electric outboard motors , is proving that this technology is no longer something to look forward to in the future, electric boats are a viable option right now.

Here at MBY.com, we’ve been following the electric boats revolution with intent for over a decade and now there are enough models on the market to make this style of boat a true competitor to conventional diesel and petrol-powered boats.

With a network of fast electric boat chargers already in place along the French Riviera, and plans for many more in marinas all over Europe and the UK, it looks like the electric revolution is now fully under way.

Read on for our round-up of the best electric boats currently in build…

35 of the best electric boats in build right now

Near silent cruising at 5-7 knots is the electric Alfastreet’s forte

Alfastreet 28 Cabin

These Slovenian-built boats are now a common sight on the Thames where their elegant lines, large sociable cockpits and clever lifting hard tops make them ideally suited to lazy days afloat.

Although most of them are available with powerful petrol outboard or sterndrive engines for fast coastal passages, Alfastreet also offers factory-fit electric boat versions of all its models for inland use.

Designed for slow speed displacement cruising , these are built for slipping along silently at 5-6 knots with zero emissions rather than rushing about at speed.

The top-of-the-range Alfastreet 28 Cabin, for example, is powered by twin 10kW motors for a top speed of around 7.5 knots and an estimated cruising range of 50nm at 5 knots from its twin 25kWh batteries.

Alfastreet 28 Cabin specifications

LOA: 28ft 3in (8.61m) Motor: 2 x 10kW Battery: 2 x 25kWh Top speed: 7.5 knots Range: 50nm Price: Approx £150,000 (inc. VAT)

Article continues below…

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Ski boats are all about instant-on torque to punch you out of the hole and leap on the plane. New California start-up Arc Boat Company is ensuring its upcoming Arc One ski boat will do just that, courtesy of its honking 350kW electric motor.

In case you’re wondering, that’s the equivalent of 475hp. Or around twice the juice on tap in the highest-capacity Tesla Model S. It also means a top speed of 40mph, and enough amps to keep you skiing or wake-boarding for up to five hours.

The aluminium-hulled 24-footer, with seats for 10, is the first offering from Los Angeles-based Arc, which is being headed-up by Tesla’s former head of manufacturing. He’s expecting the first electric boats to be delivered, with custom trailer included, this summer.

ARC One specifications

LOA: 24ft (7.3m) Motor: 350kW Battery: 200 kWh Top speed: 35 knots Range: 160nm at 35 knots Starting price: $300,000 / £226,000

The Boesch 750 offers all the style, heritage and performance you could wish for, and an electric motor

Boesch 750 Portofino Deluxe

This exclusive Swiss yard has been in business since 1910 building elegant retro sportsboats for lake and sea use.

Unlike Riva , it still builds exclusively in wood using a lightweight mahogany laminate construction that it claims is as strong and easy to maintain as a modern GRP hull.

All its craft use a traditional mid-mounted engine with a straight shaft propeller and rudder steering for maximum reliability and a flat trim angle, making them well suited for use as ski boats.

The current range comprises six models from 20ft to 32ft, however only the models up to 25ft are available as electric boats.

The top-of-the-range electric model, the Boesch 750 Portofino Deluxe, has twin 50kW Piktronik motors giving a top speed of 21 knots and a range of 14nm.

Boesch 750 Portofino Deluxe specification

LOA: 24ft 7in (7.5m) Motor: 2 x 50kW Battery: 2 x 35.6kWh Top speed: 21 knots Range: 14nm @ 20 knots Price: €336,000 (ex. VAT)

The Candela C-8 recently set a world record for electric boat endurance by covering 420nm in 24hrs

Candela C-8

With a claimed range of 50nm at 22 knots, overnight accommodation for two and a more robust deep vee foiling hull , this new Candela C-8 could be the electric boats game-changer we were waiting for.

Whereas the Candela C-7 looked oddly dated for such a high-tech boat, the C-8 has a purity of line to it that is fresh, modern and distinctive. With its vertical bow, slender beam and subtly contoured topsides free of scoops, slats or unnecessary styling lines, it has a pared back simplicity to it that oozes confidence.

It doesn’t need to shout for attention because every pair of eyes will be glued to it the minute it rises onto its foils and flies silently past the assembled onlookers, leaving nothing but a lingering aura of astonishment hanging in the air.

New for 2023, the C-8 will now be available with an uprated 69kWh Polestar 2 Standard battery pack, which considerably improves the range (as the Candela C-8’s recent world record attempt proved), and with the option of a center console deck layout.

Candela C-8 specifications

LOA: 27ft 11in (8.50m) Motor: 45-55kW Candela C-Pod Battery: 44-69kWh Top speed: 24 knots Range: 51nm Price: €290,000 (ex. VAT)

Watch our full test drive review of the Candela C-8

Electric motors powered by batteries, solar panels and ICE generators allow it to cruise night and day

Cosmopolitan 66

Newcomer Cosmopolitan Yachts is hoping to shake up the market for large electric boats with a striking new 66ft (20.1m) solar-powered catamaran called the Cosmopolitan 66.

An all-aluminium  multihull  design, the Cosmpolitan 66 features a vast amount of interior space thanks to a maximum beam of 35ft (10.67m).

The outside deck spaces are just as generous, with entertainment terraces fore and aft as well as wide side decks and a huge, almost square  flybridge .

Cosmopolitan 66 specifications

LOA: 66ft (20.1m) Motor: 2x 180kW Battery: 450kWh Top speed: 20 knots Range: TBC Price: TBC

Read more about the Cosmopolitan 66

Two-tiered windows provide big views and generous light down below

The new Vripack-designed Delphia 10 is a very versatile yacht. You can spec it with either a diesel engine of up to 110hp or an electric shaft drive from 40 to 80hp.

You can also tailor the layout to your needs with one of three standard arrangements. The Delphia 10 Sedan is a traditional pilothouse model with  walkaround  side decks and a large cockpit settee.

The Lounge model (pictured) uses a fully open design, with plenty of seating and a forward cockpit, securely contained within elevated side decks. And the Lounge Top model uses a large flat hardtop that makes a great platform for boat solar panels .

Delphia 10 specifications

LOA: 32ft 1in (9.78m) Beam: 11ft 5in (3.49m) Engines: Single inboard electric 40-80hp / up to 110hp diesel Top speed: 44 knots Price: £229,950 (inc. VAT)

Watch our full yacht tour of the Delphia 10

Duffy Sun Cruiser 22

You can’t talk about electric boats and not talk about Duffy. Since 1970, more than 14,000 of these surrey-topped, genteel bay and lake cruisers have been sold. In Duffy’s home port of Newport Beach, California, there’s an estimated 3,500 of them running around. It’s simply the world’s best-selling electric boat.

Beautifully-built, with cushy seats for 12, a built-in fridge, and a multitude of cupholders, the top-selling Duffy 22 makes the perfect cocktail-hour cruiser.

Don’t expect to get anywhere in a hurry. Top speed is a heady 5.5 knots courtesy of a 48-volt electric motor amped by a bank of 16 six-volt batteries.

One especially cool feature is Duffy’s patented Power Rudder set-up. This integrates the electric motor with the rudder and the four-bladed prop, allowing the whole assembly to rotate almost 90 degrees for easier docking.

Duffy Sun Cruiser 22 specifications

LOA: 22ft (6.7m) Motor: 1 x 50kW Battery: 16 x 6-volt Top speed: 5.5 knots Range: 40nm at 5.5 knots Starting price: $61,500 / £47,000

Four Winns H2e

Another member of the Beneteau Group vying to build the best electric boats, Four Winns will launch a 22ft model called the H2e in late 2022, which it claims is the first all-electric series production bowrider in the world.

Powered by a 180hp electric outboard motor from Vision Marine that promises a 35-knot top speed, the Four Winns H2e will get its American debut at the 2023 Miami Boat Show before going into full production in the summer.

Twin 700v batteries will be fitted, but there’s no word yet on the price or cruising range, but given Four Winns’ pedigree, you can expect the former to be very competitive indeed.

Four Winns H2e specifications

LOA: 22ft (6.7m) Motor: 180hp Vision Marine electric outboard Battery: 2x 700v Top speed: 35 knots Range: TBC Starting price: TBC

Frauscher 740 Mirage

The tag line for this Austrian yard is ‘Engineers of Emotion since 1927’, and given the effect its boats tend to have on casual observers, let alone the person sitting behind the helm, we’re inclined to agree.

Simply put, it builds some of the best looking boats on the market, combining rakish proportions with cutting-edge style and exquisite detailing.

Although it builds petrol-powered boats up to 39ft offering searing performance, it also offers most of its smaller craft with the option of silent, emissions-free electric power.

The Frauscher 740 Mirage is a perfect example of this, offering two different electric Torqeedo motors of either 60kW or 110kW. The more powerful of these delivers a top speed of 26 knots and a range of 17-60nm depending on how fast you go.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, Frauscher have also teamed up with Porsche for an all-electric version of their 8.5m Fantom model, which is due to launch in 2024 as part of a limit edition 25-boat series.

Frauscher 740 Mirage specification

LOA: 24ft 6in (7.47m) Motor: 1 x 60-110kW Battery: 40-80kWh Top speed: 26 knots Range: 17-60nm @ 26-5 knots Starting price: €216,616 (ex. VAT)

Greenline 40

Slovenian-based Greenline Yachts can lay claim to kickstarting the current trend for electric boats. Way back in 2008 it launched the first affordable diesel electric hybrid boat, a formula it has been refining and improving ever since.

Greenline now offers an extensive range of cruisers from 33ft to 68ft, all of which are available with all-electric as well as hybrid or conventional diesel power.

The mid-range Greenline 40 is a fine example; the all-electric version is powered by twin 50kW motors giving it a top speed of 11 knots and a range of up to 30nm at 7 knots with a small 4kW range extender increasing that to 75nm at 5 knots.

However, if you need more flexibility the Hybrid model is fitted with twin 220hp Volvo D3 diesel engines boosting the speed to 22 knots but still allowing electric-only cruising at 5 knots for up to 20nm.

Greenline 40 specification

LOA: 39ft 4in (11.99m) Motor: 2 x 50kW Battery: 2 x 40kWh Top speed: 11 knots Range: 30nm @ 7 knots Price: €445,000 (ex. VAT)

Hermes Speedster E

Inspired by the curvy lines of Porsche’s classic 1950s 356 Speedster, this achingly-gorgeous Hermes Speedster from UK-based Seven Seas Yachts, has been spinning heads since 2017.

The rakish, Greek-built 22-footer typically comes with a 115hp Rotax Biggles-style motor doing the powering. But more recently it’s been offered with an eco-friendly, 100kW electric motor juiced by a 30 kilowatt-hour battery pack.

Flat out it’ll do just over 30 knots. But throttle back to a more leisurely five knots and it’ll glide in stealthy silence for up to nine hours on a charge. Perfect for a trip up the Thames.

And for lovers of retro, it boasts a curvy chrome-framed windscreen, chrome-ringed gauges in a hand-stitched leather dash, bucket front seats in glove-soft marine leather, and chrome air intakes on the rear deck. A nautical piece of art? You bet.

Hermes Speedster E specifications

LOA: 22ft (6.7m) Motor: 100kW Battery: 1 x 35kWh Top speed: 30 knots Range: 50nm at 5 knots Price: $269,000 / £203,000

Hinckley Dasher

Mention the name Hinckley and you immediately conjure-up an image of gorgeous teak-and-stainless, water-jet-thrusted Picnic Boats. But the legendary New England builder has been looking to the future and investing big in electric power.

Its first offering is the sleek 28-foot, all-electric Dasher that comes complete with a BMW-developed lithium-ion battery pack and twin 80hp Torqeedo Deep Blue motors. The high-tech combo can punch the Dasher to a top speed of 23.5 knots. Ease back to seven knots and it’ll run for over five hours on a charge.

Available as an open-deck, fishing-focused runabout, or classic-style windshielded day boat, the Dasher is a hand-built Hinckley bow to stern.

That said, while the boat still looks like it oozes with mirror-varnished teak and stainless fittings, the teak is actually hand-painted composite, the stainless is 3D-printed titanium. That flag-blue hull? Made of carbon-epoxy composites with carbon stringers.

Hinckley Dasher specifications

LOA: 28ft 6in (6.7m) Motor: 2 x 50kW Battery: 40kWh Top speed: 23.5 knots Range: 40 miles at 20 knots Starting price: $545,000 / £412,000

The electric Iguana is capable of three knots on the land and 30 knots at sea

Iguana Foiler

Iguana Yachts has launched the world’s first battery-powered amphibious boat, called the Iguana Foiler. As if that weren’t enough, it also features folding foils and retractable caterpillar tracks.

The all-new 33ft Iguana Foiler is powered by a specially adapted version of Evoy’s new prototype 300hp electric outboard motor fed by a 120kWh lithium-ion battery bank.

To reduce drag and increase range, it rides on a pair of curved surface-piercing foils that fold down from each side and a third T-shaped foil at the rear fitted to a specially extended lower leg of the outboard.

Iguana Foiler specifications

Length: 32.8′ / 10m Beam (min): 10′ / 3.1m Engine: Single 300hp EVOY electric outboard Top speed: 30 knots Range: 50 miles Capacity: 8 people Price: TBC

Read more about the Iguana Foiler

The compact Magonis E-550 is a refreshinghly affordable electric option

Magonis Wave e-550

Spanish newcomer Magonis may not be the prettiest electric boat on the market but it is certainly one of the most affordable, with prices starting from as little €33,485 inc VAT.

Admittedly that only buys you the least powerful displacement-only 4kW version but even the most powerful 30kW model starts at a relatively modest €68,960 and boasts a top speed of 22 knots.

The key to its performance is a lightweight resin-infused hull that weighs just 335kg, which is powered by off-the-shelf electric outboards from Torqeedo and Mag Power.

Despite its diminutive proportions the squared-off bow means it is Category C rated for up to six people. Battery sizes vary from 10kWh to 23kWh according to engine power, giving a range of up to 60nm at 5 knots.

Magonis Wave e-550 specifications

LOA: 18ft 0in (5.50m) Motor: 1 x 4 – 30kW Battery: 1 x 10 – 23kWh Top speed: 22 knots Range: 30nm @ 3 knots Starting price: €33,485

Mantaray M24

What makes this 24ft Mannerfelt-designed runabout particularly interesting is its simplicity. Unlike its main foiling rival, the Candela C-7, the Mantaray M24 requires no complicated electronics to ‘fly’.

Instead it uses the builder’s patented mechanical hydrofoil system, which it has trademarked as Dynamic Wing Technology or DWT.

The technology is said to be the result of ten years’ development work and uses a retractable T-foil in the bow and H-foil amidships that self-stabilise mechanically.

Mantaray M24 specifications

LOA: 24ft 0in (5.50m) Motor: 48kW Battery: 26kWh Top speed: 30 knots Range: 60nm Starting price: TBC

Read more about the Mantaray M24

The Marian M800 doesn’t make any compromises on style or speed

Marian M800 Spyder

This Austrian yard only manufactures all-electric boats so they can be designed from the ground up to suit the packaging requirements of the battery and motor rather than having to accommodate big petrol or diesel engines too.

The result is a supremely elegant range of retro-inspired sportsboats from 19ft to 26ft, as well as a more prosaic lake cruiser. The latest M800 Spider, launched at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival , is its prettiest boat yet, rivalling the Riva Iseo for sheer style.

With each boat being built to order, you can specify anything from a 10kW electric motor and affordable 200Ah AGM batteries for lake use up to a 150kW motor and 125kWh lithium ion batteries for a top speed 34 knots (waterskiing is also possible) and a range of 30nm at 16 knots.

Marian M800 Spyder specifications

LOA: 25ft 9in (7.90m) Motor: 1 x 10-150kW Battery: 10-125kWh Top speed: 34 knots Range: 30nm @16 knots Starting price: €238,560

Styling is a bold mix of retro design cues and futuristic detailing

Mayla FortyFour

German start-up Mayla Yachts is close to launching the first of its outrageous all-electric performance boats, called the Mayla FortyFour. Based on a Petestep deep-vee hull platform, this ultralight carbon fibre electric boat promises top speeds of over 70 knots.

Twin 800kW dual-core electric motors deliver up to 2,150hp of power to tunnel-mounted surface drives and thanks to the 4,800Nm of torque on tap, the second you apply the throttles, acceleration should be fearsome.

Power comes from either an all-electric 500kWh lithium-ion battery or a smaller 400kWh battery backed up by a 400hp (300kW) diesel generator and fuel tank. This hybrid boat version should give a maximum range of 270nm at 30 knots.

Mayla FortyFour specifications

LOA: 44ft (13.4 m) Beam: 10ft (3.0 m) Displacement: 6,200kgs Water capacity: 200L Power: Twin 400-800kW Battery: 400-500 kWh Li-ion Top speed: 70 knots Cruising range: 70nm (electric) / 270nm (hybrid) Price: TBC

Read more about the Mayla FortyFour

Anyone who has watched America’s Cup boats in action will know foiling does wonders for performance, which is the thinking at Silicon Valley-based and Sergey Brin-backed Navier, which is currently developing one very cool, and very clever, hydro-foiling electric dayboat, the Navier N30.

With its retractable foils and twin 90kW electric motors connected to a 80kWh battery bank, the carbon-hulled Navier can soar four feet above the waves at over 30 knots. Throttle back to 20 and the projected range is over 75 nautical miles, which Navier claims makes this the rangiest 30ft electric boat in the world.

You cake your pick from a Cabin version or open Hardtop, both of which come with a nifty self-docking feature (demonstrated in the video above). Navier says that the 2023 production run has sold out and it is already taking deposits on 2024 boats.

Navier N30 specifications

LOA: 30ft (9.1m) Beam: 8ft 6in (2.6m) Motor: 2 x 90kW Battery: 80kWh Top speed: 35 knots Range: 75 miles at 20 knots Starting price: From $300,000 / £226,000

Nero 777 Evolution

Designed in Italy and built in Germany, the new Nero 777 looks like a very appealing combination of style and engineering know-how. Due to launch in 2024, it will come with a choice of five Evoy propulsion systems ranging from 60kW all the way up to 300kW.

The latter will offer an impressive top speed in excess of 50 knots, making this one of the fastest electric boats in development. And with a Petestep hull, it should offer a very comfortable ride even at such rapid speeds. Bring the speed back to a leisurely 5 knots and the claimed range shoots up to an impressive 108nm.

Design-wise, the Neto 777 Evolution taps into the current trend for fold-down balconies, which can create a water-level beach club effect – no mean feat on such a compact boat.

Nero 777 Evolution specifications

LOA: 25ft 6in (7.77m) Beam: 8ft 8in (2.63m) Motor: 60-300kW Battery: 40-126kWh Top speed: 50 knots Range: 108nm at 5 knots Starting price: From €287,500

Nimbus 305 Coupe E-Power

Legendary Swedish yard Nimbus is renowned for its thoughtfully designed and sturdily built boats and the 305 Coupe is no exception.

Although originally designed for conventional combustion engines, it has been successfully adapted for electric use with the aid of a Torqeedo Deep Blue electric motor and a pair of 12.8kWh lithium ion batteries.

The recommended cruising speed is a modest 5.7 knots giving a range of 22nm at this speed but this can be almost doubled with the aid of a second optional battery.

Nimbus 305 Coupe E-Power specifications

LOA: 33ft 3in (10.07m) Motor: 1 x 25kW Battery: 1x 40kWh Top speed: 6.5 knots Range: 22nm @ 5.7 knots Starting price: €265,000 (ex. VAT)

One of the most striking elements of the Optima E10 is its hull shape. This stabilised monohull design features a slender central hull flanked by even thinner external ones, creating tunnels underneath.

This design enhances efficiency by reducing drag, allowing the boat to achieve fast displacement speeds of approximately 14 to 15 knots. The external riggers also contribute to the boat’s stability, ensuring a comfortable and smooth ride.

Measuring 10m in length (around 33 ft), the Optima E10 is powered solely by electricity. It does not feature a hybrid drive or combustion engine, thus maximising its efficiency. The boat is equipped with two 63kWh Kriesel batteries and a 40kW electric motor from Rad propulsion, equivalent to approximately 54hp.

Optima E10 specifications

LOA: 36ft 1in / 11m Motor: 40kW Rad Propulsion Batteries: 120kWh Kriesel Top speed: 15 knots Range: 200 nautical miles @ 6 knots Starting price: £400,000

Watch our yacht tour of the Optima E10

Pixii’s aluminium hull and powerful battery should deliver impressive range and performance

Pixii SP800

Although this budding British brand has yet to launch one of its pretty new Pixii SP800 electric sportsboats, the first one is already in build on the Isle of Wight.

Featuring a light but strong aluminium hull with either one or two electric motors linked to a jet drive and what is said to be a class-leading 150kWh battery pack, it has all the ingredients of a formidable contender.

We’ll have to wait to see if it lives up to its maker’s claims of a 40-knot top speed, but if it does, it would make it one of the fastest electric production boats on the market.

It even has the option of a remote anchoring system that lets you jump off onto a beach then drive it out into deeper water before dropping the hook!

Pixii SP800 specifications

LOA: 24ft 6in (7.5m) Motor: 2 x 25kW Battery: 1x 150kWh Top speed: 40 knots Range: 100nm @ 14 knots Starting price: £114,000 (inc. VAT)

Persico Zagato 100.2

Performance boat specialist Persico is set to launch its first all-electric superboat this year, called the Persico Zagato 100.2. Designed in collaboration with iconic automotive design house Zagato, the 26ft stunner is built around a revolutionary new steerable electric waterjet pod from Italian start-up Sealence.

The 100.2 part of the name celebrates Zagato’s second century in business, the new electric boat features a reverse bow, wraparound windshield, aft sunpad, rear bench-sofa and two front pilot seats, plus cuddy space beneath the foredeck.

However, it’s the ultra-efficient electric drivetrain that is likely to cause the biggest stir. The single 205kW  Sealence DeepSpeed  420 steerable azipod is said to give the new boat a top speed of 43 knots and a cruising speed of around 24 knots, at which the range should be almost 50nm.

Persico Zagato 100.2 specifications

LOA: 25ft 11in (7.9m) Motor: 205 kW electric integrated jet pod Battery: 2x 83kWh Top speed: 43.5 knots Range: 47nm @ 24 knots Starting price: TBC

Read more about the Persico Zagato 100.2

Q-Yachts Q30

This Finnish yard was established in 2016 with the idea of developing an elegant electric boat that gave the same swift, silent cruising experience as a high-end sailing boat but without having to worry about sails and crew.

The result is the Q30, a stylish open day boat with striking minimalist looks and a super efficient hull shape that allows it to slip through the water at speeds up to 14 knots, making almost no noise or wake.

It’s powered by a pair of 10kW Torqeedo motors and a relatively meagre 30kWh battery but such is its efficiency that it will cruise for 10 hours at 6 knots or 5 hours at 9 knots.

Q-Yachts Q30 specifications

LOA: 30ft 6in (9.3m) Beam: 7ft 3in (2.2m) Motor: 2 x 10kW Torqeedo Battery: 30-40kWh Top speed: 14 knots Range: 60nm @ 6 knots, 21nm @ 14 knots Starting price: €183,000 (ex. VAT)

Distinctive rebated topsides are a growing trend in small sportsboat design

Rand Source 22

Rand Boats claims its new Rand Source 22 is one of the most affordable electric sportsboats on the market, as well as one of the fastest.

Two electric boat options enable it to cover both these extremes in addition to a range of inboard and outboard petrol and diesel engines of up to 250hp.

When propelled by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue 50 outboard, it will carry a price tag of less than €100,000 but when fitted with Rand’s much more powerful 170kW electric inboard it will be capable of short-burst speeds of up to 50 knots and sustained cruising at 28 knots.

Rand Source 22 specifications

LOA: 22ft (6.7m) Motor: 170kW Battery: TBC Range: TBC Top speed: 50 knots Starting price: €63,900

Read more about the Rand Source 22

Ripple Boats 10m Day Cruiser

Hailing from Norway and launched at the 2023 Cannes Yachting Festival, Ripple Boats is a new brand founded by Frydenbø Marine and Pascal Technologies.

They have raised over €4million of funding for their start-up venture and their debut model will be a 10m day cruiser developed by Thorup Design.

Key features from the initial renderings include an extendable hard-top bimini with inset glazing, plus the now ubiquitous folding balconies.

Should this debut model prove successful, Ripple Boats have plans to build a wide range of electric boats from 6-11m.

Ripple Boats 10m Day Cruiser specifications

LOA: 32ft 10in (10m) Beam: 10ft 6in (3.2m) Motor: 2 x 93kW Battery: 190 kWh Range: 45nm Cruising speed: 25 knots Starting price: TBC

Only Riva could produce an electric boat that looks as pretty as this

Riva El-Iseo

As its name suggests the El-Iseo is an all-electric version of Riva’s entry-level sportsboat, the gloriously retro 27 Iseo.

The heart of the El-Iseo is a 250kW Parker GVM310 electric motor that spins a Mercury Bravo Three XR sterndrive leg. The prototype is capable of 40 knots, much the same as it delivers with its usual 300hp petrol or diesel engine options.

However, those who have driven the electric version say it’s the acceleration that really stands out. The quoted range figures are one hour at 25 knots or 10 hours at five knots, meaning a range of 25nm at planing speeds or 50nm in displacement mode.

Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi says that they will not start selling the El-Iseo or commit to a price until they have thoroughly tested the prototype and are certain it will deliver the performance, safety and reliability expected of a Riva.

The production model will be packaged with the latest electronics including a smart management system that reduces speed when the battery runs low and collision-avoidance software. “If it is going to be a Riva, it has to be perfect,” said Galassi.

Riva El-Iseo specifications

LOA:   27ft (8.2m) Motor: 250kW Battery: 150kWh Top speed: 40 knots Range: 50nm Starting price: TBC

RS Pulse 63

RS Sailing is the first British yard to offer a production ready electric planing RIB in the form of the RS Pulse 63 . With a super efficient hull design by Jo Richards, the man behind the hugely successful RS range of sailing dinghies, and styling by superyacht studio Design Unlimited, it looks like a really enticing package.

Power comes from a brand new 40kW RAD propulsion system, that claims to be safer and more efficient than an exposed propeller, linked to a bespoke 46kW Hyperdrive battery pack.

This delivers a top speed of 23 knots and a range of 25-100nm miles depending on speed but can be further increased with the aid of an optional extra 23kWh battery pack.

RS Pulse 63 specifications

LOA: 20ft 8in (6.30m) Motor: 1 x 40kW Battery: 46kW Top speed: 23 knots Range: 25-100nm @ 20-5 knots Starting price: £82,800 (inc. VAT)

Watch our sea trial video of the RS Pulse 63

SAY Carbon Yachts 29 E

As the name suggests, this German yard is renowned for its ultra light, high performance carbon fibre craft and it’s these same properties that make the SAY Carbon Yachts 29 E such a compelling electric craft.

This slender, low draught speed machine weighs less than two tonnes all up, including a powerful 360kW Kreisel electric motor and 120kWh battery. Hardly surprising then that it also holds the record for the world’s fastest production electric boat (under 9m) after scorching to a top speed of 50 knots on an Austrian lake in 2018.

Use the power more sparingly and the yard claims a range of 25nm at 22 knots, while a built in 22kW charger delivers a full recharge in just six hours.

SAY Carbon Yachts 29 E specifications

LOA: 29ft (8.85m) Motor: 1 x 360kW Battery: 120kWh Top speed: 52 knots Range: 25nm @ 22 knots Starting price: €396,460 (ex. VAT)

Silent 28 Speed

Silent Yachts ’ electric-powered Silent 28 Speed grabbed headlines at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival thanks to a claimed top speed of more than 60 knots and an impressive range of 70nm at 30 knots. The secret to its performance is a foil-assisted hull with unique surface-piercing propellers.

Pushed along by twin 100kW eD-QDrive electric motors hooked up to a 100kWh lithium-ion battery bank topped up by built-in solar panels, it demonstrates that serious performance is no longer the preserve of petrol powered boats. No price has been announced.

Silent 28 Speed specifications

LOA: 28ft (8.6m) Motor: 2 x 100kW Battery: 100kW Top speed: >60 knots Range: 70nm Starting price: TBC

SpiritBARTech35EF

A marriage of gloriously retro styling and cutting-edge foiling technology, this electric foiler was commissioned as a chase-boat toy by the same European owner that took delivery in early 2020 of Spirit Yachts ’ largest and most technologically advanced project to date, the 111ft super-sloop Geist .

She was drawn by Spirit Yachts’ CEO and chief designer Sean McMillan, who admits to taking his principal inspiration from a slightly smaller twice Gold Cup winning hydroplane of mid-1920s America called Baby Bootlegger , which sported a similar near-plumb bow, long varnished foredeck and a two-seat cockpit.

The vessel encompasses a modified electric motor, developed for motorsport, and three integrated foils. The claimed top speed is 30 knots, but the usual fast cruise speed will be in the low 20s, at which the quoted range is 100nm.

This was put to the test on July 17, with the SpiritBARTech35EF setting a new electric boat record for fastest circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, covering 51m in 1hr 56mins at an average speed just shy of 23 knots.

Spirit 35 Foiler specifications

LOA: 35ft (10.6m) Motor: TBC Battery: TBC Top speed: 28 knots Range: 100nm at 20 knots Price: Available on application

Read more about the SpiritBARTech35EF

Super Air Nautique GS22E

Based on the petrol-powered GS22 wake surf boat, the Super Air Nautique GS22E is packed with the best features available. These include a hydraulic folding wake tower, custom finishes, a configurable cockpit, and a customizable running surface that can change the characteristics from ski boat to wake surf or wakeboard use via a simple touchscreen at the helm. The boat can even be optioned with an electric stern thruster to make docking a doddle.

As well as being virtually silent underway, this electric boat version can offer up to three hours’ use on a single charge. The huge flat torque curve of the electric power plant perfectly suits tow sports use and onboard telemetry constantly monitors and reports the engine’s performance.

The significant $140,000 premium over the petrol powered version means this model will not be for everyone, however the emissions-free GS22E is the first of its kind and potentially the wake surf boat of the future.

Super Air Nautique GS22E specifications

LOA: 22ft / 6.7m Motor: 1 x 220kW Battery: 124kWh Top speed: 37.5 knots Range: 2-3hrs usage Starting price: $312,952

Vita isn’t just a boat-building company, it also hopes to sell off-the-shelf electric drivetrains to other yards. Given the impressive performance and range of its own flagship LION model, this could prove a very smart move.

This elegant 10.5m day boat packs roughly the same amount of battery power as four Tesla 3 models and, thanks to a pair of 150kW electric motors linked to a single Mercury Bravo sterndrive, it goes like one too.

In fact Vita has to limit the amount of torque the motors put out to stop it shredding the gears. Despite this it maxes out at around 35 knots and can cruise for 90 minutes at 22 knots or almost 10 hours at 6-7 knots.

Vita LION specifications

LOA: 32ft 9in (10.5m) Motor: 2 x 150kW Battery: 235kWh Top speed: 35 knots Range: 33-70nm @ 22-7 knots Starting price: £750,000 (ex. VAT)

Watch our full sea trial review of the Vita LION

Voltari 260

Typically, the brand new Voltari 260 electric boat is all about going fast. With its high-torque 740hp electric motor juiced by a 142kWh bank of lithium-ion Evereadys, it can slice and dice the waves at an impressive 52 knots.

But when there’s a world record to be broken, it’s worth a compromise or two. So, to claim the gong for covering the longest overseas distance in an electric “vehicle” on a single charge, the Voltari streaked along at a heady… 4.3 knots.

That meant covering the 91-miles between Key Largo, Florida, across the often-boisterous Gulf Stream, to Bimini in the Bahamas in what must have seemed an endless 20 hours. But it got the job done, and on a single charge.

Voltari 260 specifications

LOA: 28ft 11in (8.6m) Motor: 551kW Batteries: 142kWh Top speed: 52 knots Range: 91 miles @ 4 knots Starting price: $450,000

Read more about the Voltari 260

The big claim for the new X Shore 1 is that it’s the first all-electric 30-knot sportsboat to be priced at under €100,000 ex taxes, making it the cheapest electric planing runabout in Europe.

With an LOA of 21ft 4in (6.5m), it is around 5ft shorter than the original X-Shore Eelex 8000 and €150,000 cheaper. It is powered by a 125kW electric motor with a single 63kWh Kreisel battery (the Eelex has a 225kW motor and two 63kWh batteries) but thanks to the 1’s smaller, lighter hull it boasts the same top speed of 30 knots and a similar range of 20nm at 20 knots or 50nm at 6 knots (the Eelex can do 100nm at low speed).

The X-Shore 1 is available either as an open boat with a half height windscreen or a semi-enclosed Top version with the aid of an extended windscreen, a small hard top and canopies protecting the helm. Unlike the walkaround Eelex, it also has an enclosed foredeck with a cuddy underneath for overnighting.

X Shore has also started branching out into the realm of commercial boats. Based on the Eelex 8000 platform, the first X Shore Pro is being used for school transportation in the Swedish archipelago.

X-Shore 1 specifications

LOA: 21ft 4in (6.5m) Motor: 125kW Battery: 63kWh Top speed: 30 knots Range: 50nm @ 6 knots Starting price: <€100,000 (ex. VAT)

Watch our full video tour of the X-Shore 1

ZIN’s waif-like sportsboat has a claimed range of 100nm at 13 knots

Seattle-based start-up Zin Electric Boats claims an astonishing range of up to 100nm for its pretty little Z2R sportsboats. Its secret is a super-lightweight all-carbon fibre hull that allows it to plane efficiently at just 13 knots.

As with many of these boats it is powered by Torqeedo’s 55kW electric motor linked to the same company’s 45kWh battery adapted from the BMW i3 electric car.

The first prototype reached a faintly terrifying 48 knots flat out but the production version is being limited to 30 knots to extend the range. Acceleration should still be lightning quick though thanks to the motor’s impressive torque.

Zin Z2R specifications

LOA: 20ft 0in (6.1m) Motor: 55kW Torqeedo Battery: 40kWh Top speed: 30 knots Range : 100nm @13 knots Price: $250,000 (ex. VAT)

Zodiac 450 e-jet

French RIB specialist Zodiac is developing an entire range of small, affordable electric RIBs in conjunction with Torqeedo, but in the meantime it has already started building a state-of-the-art electric jet-RIB, predominantly for use as a superyacht tender.

Powered by a 50kW Torqeedo Deep Blue motor with a 40kWh battery from the BMW i3 car driving a low drag water jet, it can reach a max speed of 30 knots.

It also boasts a useful 90 minutes of cruising time at 24 knots, equating to a range of 36nm. High quality Neoprene tubes, retractable seating and hand-sewn quilted seats help justify its price and intended target market.

The new 3.1m and 3.4m eOpen range won’t be quite as quick but will have a range of around 10nm at 12 knots, and with prices from €25,200, they’re more affordable.

Zodiac 450 e-jet specifications

LOA: 14ft 9in (4.5m) Motor: 50kW Torqeedo Battery 40kWh Top speed: 30 knots Range: 36nm @ 24 knots Price: €140,800 (ex. VAT)

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How hybrid sailing yachts finally became a feasible option

• May 17, 2019

They’ve been a long time coming, but marine hybrid propulsion systems are finally a working reality, as Sam Fortescue reports

The Bootswerft Heinrich-built 13m Yamila uses an Oceanvolt electric motor rather than a diesel engine. Photo: Peter Minder

Every sailor is familiar with the wet cough of the diesel engine, and the acrid smell of its exhaust. For some it’s the sign that an adventure is starting, for others it is the reassurance that all is well on board the boat. The traditional engine is perhaps your boat’s most important safety feature, but its days may be numbered.

The electric sailing revolution is coming – and though adoption in the marine sector is proving much slower than in the automotive world ashore, progress is being made.

The market is still relatively small. Clear market leader Torqeedo had sales of €25m last year, most of which was in ferries and compact outboards. It also offers a range of saildrive and pod drive motors for yachts displacing from 2 to 50 tonnes, or roughly 20-60ft LOA.

But sailors have been slow on the uptake, and for one good reason: if you’re planning to cross an ocean or take on tough conditions offshore, you rely on your engine to help you outrun danger or motor through the doldrums – sometimes for days at a time.

Oceanvolt AXC series is a modular shaft drive system (10kW to 40kW) that will fit in place of a tradition diesel engine

Even with the current crop of advanced lithium-ion boat batteries , the range of an electric system is measured in tens of miles, not hundreds. So a 35ft monohull with 10kWh of lithium battery (four units weighing 96kg in total) would have a range of just 24 nautical miles at 3.8 knots, or less than 16 nautical miles at full throttle.

Taking into account the incredible wastage of combustion engines, which dissipate more energy as heat and noise than they provide in propulsion, diesel is still ten times more energy dense than batteries.

Full-carbon luxury daysailer Yamila uses an Oceanvolt SD8 8kW electric saildrive system. Photo: Tobias Stoerkle

“When you look at bluewater cruisers, of course you will have a diesel,” says Torqeedo’s founder and CEO, Dr Christoph Ballin. “And it’s right that not many coastal sailors opt for pure electric.”

But that doesn’t mean that electric has no interest for cruising sailors – far from it. The more common route for ‘normal’ sailors will be to combine diesel and electric in a hybrid sailing system.

Under this model, the engine is replaced by an electric motor, hooked up to a bank of lithium batteries. This can be charged via hydrogeneration – when the speed under sail turns the propeller and puts charge back into the batteries – and solar or wind. But when extended periods under power are required a standalone DC generator, which can be installed anywhere on board, supplies the electricity.

This is the set-up recommended by Finland’s Oceanvolt, which has focused on the cruising sailing market with a range of shaft and sail drive motors from 3.7kW to 15kW (roughly 10hp to 45hp in diesel engine terms).

“In the case of the round-the-world cruiser, we recommend a hybrid system with a backup genset to support continuous drive when/if needed,” says Oceanvolt CEO Markus Mustelin. “A regenerating prop, which spins while sailing and recharges the batteries (sacrificing 0.2-0.4 of a knot, depending on the boat and conditions) makes it possible to be almost independent of the genset and use it only for backup.”

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This system has the advantage that the generator is only needed on longer passages, so the boat still manoeuvres silently in and out of ports and anchorages.

And a well-designed, correctly sized generator is much more efficient at turning diesel into electricity than an engine not originally designed for the job. Some sailors opt for an in-line hybrid system, like those offered by Hybrid-Marine, which bolts onto the existing diesel.

These are easier to retrofit, with many of the same characteristics as the full hybrid system, but there’s the disadvantage of still having an engine boxed away somewhere near the middle of the boat.

Electro magnetism

Until now, most business has been done through retrofitting existing yachts. But an increasing number of yacht builders are looking to include electric propulsion as original equipment. The world’s third largest boatbuilder, Hanse Yachts , is perhaps the most advanced – offering its entry-level Hanse 315 with an electric rudder-drive option.

The system takes up less space than the standard diesel, is much quieter and vibration- and emissions-free. But Hanse admits take up has been disappointing.

The technology has found more interest among lake sailors. Innovative young German brand Bente has been fitting Torqeedo motors to its successful 24ft model, originally designed for Germany’s ‘Green Lakes’.

Closer to home, dinghy specialist RS Sailing has decided to fit a retractable electric drive to its new RS21 keelboat. Already christened the ‘invisible gennaker’, the system is based on Torqeedo’s Travel 1003 outboard motor.

Bigger race boats have also been attracted by the lure of low-weight propulsion. Just look at Malizia , an IMOCA 60 being prepared for the 2020 Vendée Globe with a lightweight Torqeedo system.

“Emissions-free round the world under race conditions, while simultaneously producing your own energy, is a thoroughly inspirational concept,” said Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann.

Electric has also been successful at the luxury end of the market, where lithium-ion batteries account for a smaller share of the boat’s overall cost. A 50ft Privilege 5 catamaran and a carbon fibre Gunboat 60 have both been retrofitted with Torqeedo kit, while Oceanvolt appears on a Swan 57 and an all-carbon Agile 42.

Overview of the Torqeedo Deep Blue propulsion system installed in the Gunboat Moonwave

The Gunboat Moonwave has two 25kW Deep Blue saildrives both capable of regenerating under sail. There is still a generator on board to extend battery range offshore, but “they no longer use the generator – it’s just for emergency,” says Torqeedo’s Ballin.

Spirit Yachts is also designing electric propulsion into its Spirit 111  flagship, due for launch this summer. With four big 40kW lithium batteries aboard and a 100kW motor, the yacht will be able to operate silently for hours, although it also has 100kW of diesel generator capacity.

“The real focus is not the propulsion,” explains Spirit director Nigel Stuart, “but that everything works in harmony, from galley equipment and hot water to heating, air conditioning, hydraulics etc.” The British yard is also building a 65-footer using Oceanvolt hybrid technology and a new 44-footer that is pure electric.

With racing on one hand and high-end cruisers on the other, there is something of a gap in the middle. By Torqeedo’s own admission, the cruising sailor hasn’t been a big focus of the electric revolution, but all that is about to change. “We started a bit late with sailing,” Ballin admits, “but in the next five to eight years it will be addressed big time.”

Fully integrated electric drive system will power the new 111ft Spirit Yachts flagship

What does that really mean? Well, in the first instance, it means system integration. If that doesn’t sound revolutionary, then imagine a set-up on board where solar panels, hydrogenerators, batteries, generators and motors all worked seamlessly together to keep the yacht supplied with ample power around the clock. “That’s what people are willing to pay for: plenty of energy with heating or air-con through the night,” says Ballin.

The future of hybrid sailing

In the near future, Torqeedo is planning a new range-extending DC generator specifically for hybrid sailing boats. Its existing unit is built by WhisperPower and provides 25kW, which is too much power for boats using the pod drive system.

The genset will be designed to operate at optimum revolutions, while clever DC to DC conversion decouples the battery voltage from the charging voltage, for much greater efficiency.

With boats, just as with cars, the breakthrough that will make all the difference is around battery capacity. Until range under electric power can match that of diesel, there will be many sceptics. And that isn’t likely to happen for a decade or more, according to Ballin.

“Theoretically, they’ve tested batteries in labs that are ten times more efficient than lithium,” he explains. “And if that comes through, then gasoline is done. But we are trying to combine long-term vision with short-term mindset.”

In the meantime, the prevalent technology is based on lithium-manganese-cobalt, and a process of steady development is making this 5-8% better each year. For example, BMW has just announced its next generation i3 battery, used by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue system, will be able to hold 40kWh of power – an increase of 33% for the same size, weight and nearly the same cost.

Torqeedo Cruise 2.0 FP Pod Drive is suitable for small yachts up to 4 tonnes – a folding prop can also be fitted

The other area of development is around the propeller. Most cruising systems use a folding or feathering prop designed for diesel engines. But Torqeedo’s own research shows that the consistently high torque of an electric motor is best utilised by props with variable pitch.

And yet it is Oceanvolt that has addressed this issue specifically for electric motors with its Servo Prop system, which it claims to be 30% more efficient ahead, 100% better astern and 300% more efficient in regeneration mode.

Oceanvolt says that this prop can pump around 500W into the batteries at just 5 knots – the average pace of a 30ft monohull. At 6 knots that rises to around 800W, and at a very manageable 7 knots for a larger ocean cruiser you get 1.2kW.

“A new technology can rarely compete in price with an established one in its initial growth phase,” says Mustelin. “However, we have passed this and today electric systems are offered at a quite competitive price. When you add to that the fact the electric system is almost service free, the total cost of ownership is turning in favour of electric.”

So, you may not hear them approach, but expect to see more and more electric-powered boats on the water as the revolution continues.

A question of torque

A key part of the viability of electric propulsion rests on the notion that a smaller motor can achieve the same work as a bigger diesel. There are two elements to this. First, a diesel engine is not an efficient converter of chemical energy into thrust, creating a lot of heat and noise in the process. Second, the torque characteristics of electric are much better than diesel.

Mustelin says that Oceanvolt’s 10kW motor “easily outperforms” a 30hp diesel. “Typically, maximum boat speed will be somewhat lower (0.5kt-1.0kt) than with a comparable diesel engine, but at the same time the boat will maintain the speed better in heavy seas and headwind due to higher torque. Manoeuvrability is much better in confined marina spaces.”

That’s because combustion engines only reach peak power (and maximum torque) over a small range of speeds. Torque is a measure of turning power – at the propeller in the case of a boat.

A diesel engine develops optimum torque between 1,800-2,000rpm, while electric motors deliver it from 0 to around 2,000rpm. This allows electric motors to use higher efficiency propellers that are slimmer and more steeply pitched.

Engine-driven: The ‘alternator on steroids’

It has taken years of development and over $10m of funding, but renowned boat systems expert Nigel Calder has helped design an alternator so powerful that it eliminates the need for a generator on board.

Mounted on the engine, on the second alternator position, the Integrel can produce five to ten times more power. Sitting behind the system is at least 10kWh of lead acid batteries (lithium is also an option), and Victron chargers and inverters.

“If you crank the engine it’ll charge the batteries; if you’re running with the engine in neutral, it’ll know it’s in standalone generator mode and switch to that algorithm,” explains Calder. “It will likely be cheaper than a generator installation, and eliminates the issue of the through-hulls, the cooling circuits, the long running hours, the maintenance.”

The system allows you to run all sorts of creature comforts on board that would normally require a generator: from hot water on-demand to coffee makers and freezers. “We honestly believe that this system is going to supplant generators on almost all boats that currently have, or would like to have, a generator,” adds Calder.

With the engine in gear and at low revs, tests show how the Integrel can produce some 2kW of power without increasing fuel consumption or reducing speed – simply utilising the engine’s wasted capacity. This means it will work with the yacht’s existing engine – no need to overspec – and it has already been successfully installed on a new Southerly 480, a Malo 46 and a similar-sized Hallberg-Rassy.

Case study: Dufour 382 Alcyone

Built by Dufour in 2016, Alcyone was immediately retrofitted professionally with Oceanvolt’s SD15 saildrive motor, supplied by a 14kWh lithium battery bank. Owners Michael Melling and Diana Kolpak also specced an 8kWh DC generator for range extension. The fit out cost €30,600 for the motor and battery system, plus an additional €13,744 for the generator, and installation costs were around €8,000.

They charter the boat out near Vancouver, for exploring Desolation Sound and the surrounding area where silent, clean propulsion is a selling point. “Nothing spoils the joy of sailing – or a secluded anchorage – more than the noise and smell of diesel engines,” they explained. “Installing an Oceanvolt system in our new boat has freed us from that. It’s the way of the future.”

Charter manager Merion Martin said the conversion has also been popular with charter customers, adding: “The main advantage of the system is that it consistently uses around 40% less fuel than a standard diesel engine over the course of a week’s charter. But understanding the power management system takes a bit of getting used to, and the many components involved in the system can make troubleshooting a challenge.”

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The Promises and Pitfalls of an All-Electric Yacht

• By Tim Murphy
• Updated: November 8, 2021

This past October, I saw one of the most interesting exhibits in more than 500 new cruising sailboats I’ve reviewed over two decades. It was the Arcona 435Z, built in Sweden and introduced by Graham Balch of Green Yachts in San Francisco. Balch describes his business as “a new brokerage dedicated to the electric revolution on the water,” and it was the “Z” in the boat’s name, which stands for “zero emissions,” that made this boat so interesting. This was the first electric propulsion system—not hybrid but all-electric —I’d ever seen on a cruising sailboat.

Electric propulsion isn’t new. Since 1879, electric motors have propelled boats; a fleet of some four-dozen electric launches transported visitors around the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago. But cruising sailboats are not launches, and the open sea is not a protected canal. When we’re using cruising boats as they’re meant to be used, they seldom end their day plugged into a shore-power outlet. Cruising boats comprise many devices —stove, refrigerator, freezer, windlass, winches, autopilot, radar, lights—whose power typically comes from a tank of fossil fuel. And today’s cruising sailors are accustomed to using diesel auxiliary power to motor through lulls or punch into headwinds and seas.

Starting about 15 years ago, we saw a wave of diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion systems on production and custom cruising boats ( see “Perpetuated Motion,” CW , March 2005 ). Both of those systems ultimately start with an onboard internal-combustion engine. A diesel-electric propulsion system relies on a running genset to directly power the electric motor that turns the propeller. A hybrid system relies on batteries to power the electric motor, plus an internal-combustion genset to recharge the batteries. One of the promises of a hybrid system is the ability to regenerate electrical power. Regeneration means using boatspeed under sail to turn the propeller, whose spinning shaft sends electrons from the electric motor back through an electronic controller to recharge the batteries. In such a system, the boat’s propeller is both an electrical load (when running under power) and a charging source (when sailing in regeneration mode).

The Arcona 435Z was different from both of these systems: It incorporates no onboard fossil-fuel engine at all. Instead, it has a bank of lithium batteries, several solar panels, and a proprietary propulsion leg that looks like a saildrive. “This boat,” Balch said, “has the very first production unit in the world of Oceanvolt’s newest electric propulsion system, called the ServoProp.”

For our sea trial, Balch was joined by Derek Rupe, CEO of Oceanvolt USA. “If you can sail the boat and you have some solar, you can go anywhere in the world, and you can make all your power underway while you go,” Rupe said. When we spoke in October 2020, he touted three high-profile sailors who were using the Oceanvolt electric propulsion system: Alex Thomson, for his Hugo Boss Open 60 Vendée Globe program; Jimmy Cornell, for his Elcano 500 expedition; and Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu, who had been teasing their new boat for months on their popular Sailing La Vagabonde YouTube channel.

The efficiency of Oceanvolt’s ServoProp and the regeneration from it is the promised game-changer in each of these boats. The ServoProp is a leg with a ­feathering propeller that can be set for optimal pitch in three modes: forward, reverse and regeneration.

“You don’t need fuel,” Rupe said. “You don’t need to dock; you can go anywhere you want to go and always have the power for living and propulsion.”

That’s the promise. But are there also pitfalls?

Innovation and Risk

Marine electric propulsion is an emerging technology. Compared with the mature and settled technology of diesel engines and lead-acid batteries, electric-propulsion systems—with their electronic controllers and lithium batteries—are in a stage of development best described as adolescent. Every sailor has his or her own tolerance for technical innovation. For the promise of fewer ­seconds per mile, grand-prix-racing sailors willingly trade a high risk of expensive damage to the sails, rig or the boat’s structure itself; cruising sailors, by contrast, tend to favor yearslong reliability in their equipment as they seek miles per day.

Folks who identify as early adopters take special joy in the first-wave discoveries of a new technology; if they’re clear-eyed about supporting an ongoing experiment, they see themselves as partners with the developers, accepting failures as opportunities for learning. Sailors motivated primarily by changing the trajectory of climate change might be especially willing to modify their behavior to limit their own output of greenhouse gases. Investing in any emerging technology asks you to start with a clear assessment of your own risk tolerance. We’ll return to this theme with one or two real-life examples.

The American Boat and Yacht Council, founded in 1954, sets recommended standards for systems installed on recreational boats. For decades, ABYC has published standards related to installations of diesel and gasoline engines, as well as electrical systems based around lead-acid batteries. By contrast, it was only three years ago that ABYC came out with its first electric-propulsion standard (revised July 2021). And only last year it published its first technical-information report on lithium batteries (a technical-information report is an early step toward a future standard). The takeaway is that if you need help servicing your diesel engine or electrical system built around lead-acid batteries, you can pull into any reasonable-size port and find competent technicians to help you. With electric propulsion and lithium batteries, that pool of skilled talent is significantly scarcer.

To say that a technology is mature simply means that we’ve learned to live with it, warts and all, but that it holds few remaining surprises. Certainly, diesel-propulsion and lead-acid-battery technologies each leave plenty of room for improvement. When a charge of fuel ignites in the combustion ­chamber of a diesel engine, some three-quarters of the energy is lost in heat and the mechanical inefficiencies of converting reciprocating motion to rotation. Lead-acid batteries become damaged if we routinely discharge more than half of their capacity. During charging, they’re slow to take the electrons we could deliver.

Lithium batteries are comparatively full of promise. Their power density is far greater than that of lead-acid batteries, meaning they’re much lighter for a given capacity. They’re capable of being deeply discharged, which means you can use far more of the bank’s capacity, not merely the first half. And they accept a charge much more quickly; compare that to several hours a day running an engine to keep the beers iced down.

But the pitfalls? Let’s start with ABYC TE-13, Lithium Ion Batteries. Some of its language is bracing. “Lithium ion batteries are unlike lead-acid batteries in two important respects,” the report says. “1) The electrolyte within most lithium ion batteries is flammable. 2) Under certain fault conditions, lithium ion batteries can enter a condition known as thermal runaway, which results in rapid internal heating. Once initiated, it is a self-perpetuating and exothermic reaction that can be difficult to halt.”

Thermal runaway? Difficult to halt? Self-perpetuating?

“Typically, the best approach is to remove heat as fast as possible, which is most effectively done by flooding the battery with water,” TE-13 continues, “although this may have serious consequences for the boat’s electrical systems, machinery, buoyancy, etc.”

If you were following the news in January 2013, you might remember the ­story of Japan Airlines Flight 008. Shortly after landing at Boston’s Logan Airport, a mechanic opened the aft ­electronic equipment bay of the Boeing 787-8 to find smoke and flames billowing from the auxiliary-power unit. The fire extinguisher he used didn’t put out the flames. Eventually Boston firefighters put out the fire with Halotron, but when removing the still-hissing batteries from the plane, one of the ­firefighters was burned through his ­professional protective gear.

Samsung Galaxy cellphones, MacBook Pro laptops, powered skateboards—in the past decade, these and other devices have been recalled after their lithium batteries burned up. In that period, several high-end custom boats were declared a total loss following failures from lithium batteries. In March 2021, a 78-foot Norwegian hybrid-powered tour boat, built in 2019 with a 790 kW capacity battery bank, experienced thermal runaway that kept firefighters on watch for several days after the crew safely abandoned the ship.

Yes, experts are learning a lot about how to mitigate the risks around lithium batteries. But we’re still on the learning curve.

ABYC’s TE-13 “System Design” section starts, “All lithium-ion battery ­systems should have a battery ­management system (BMS) installed to prevent damage to the battery and provide for battery shutoff if potentially dangerous conditions exist.” It defines a bank’s “safe operating envelope” according to such parameters as high- and low-voltage limits, charging and discharging temperature limits, and charging and ­discharging current limits.

Graham Balch takes these safety recommendations a step further: “To our knowledge, the BMS has to monitor at the cell level. With most batteries, the BMS monitors at the module level.” The difference? “Let’s say you have 24 cells inside the battery module, and three of them stop working. Well, the other 21 have to work harder to compensate for those three. And that’s where thermal events occur.”

Balch followed the story of the Norwegian tour boat this past spring. He believes that the battery installation in that case didn’t meet waterproofing standards: “The hypothesis is that due to water intrusion, there was reverse polarity in one or more of the cells, which is worse than cells simply not working. It means that they’re actively working against the other cells. But if the BMS is monitoring only at the module level, you wouldn’t know it.”

On the Green Yachts website, Graham lists five battery manufacturers whose BMS regimes monitor at the cell level. “If I were sailing on an electric boat, whether it be commercial or recreational, I would feel comfortable with having batteries from these five companies and no other,” he said.

The broader takeaway for today’s sailors is that lithium batteries bring their own sets of problems and solutions, which are different from those of conventional propulsion and power-supply technologies. A reasonably skilled sailor could be expected to change fuel filters or bleed a diesel engine if it shuts down in rough conditions. With lithium-ion batteries aboard, an operator needs to understand the causes and remedies of thermal runaway, and be ready to respond if the BMS shuts down the boat’s power.

Real-World Electric Cruising Boats

When we met Oceanvolt’s Derek Rupe a year ago, he and his wife had taken their all-electric boat to the Bahamas and back the previous season. Before that, he’d been installing electric-propulsion packages for six years on new Alerion 41s and other refit projects. “My real passion is on the technical side of things—installations, really getting that right. That’s half the picture. The technology is there, but it needs to be installed correctly.”

When talking to Rupe, I immediately encountered my first learning curve. I posed questions about the Oceanvolt system in amps and amp-hours; he responded in watts and kilowatt-hours. This was yet another example of the different mindset sailors of electric boats need to hold. Why? Because most cruising boats have just one or two electrical systems: DC and AC. The AC system might operate at 110 or 220 volts; the DC side might operate at 12 or 24 volts. On your own boat, that voltage is a given. From there we tend to think in terms of amps needed to power a load, and amp-hours of capacity in our battery banks. Going back to basics, the power formula tells us that power (watts) equals electrical potential (volts) times current (amps). If your boat’s electrical system is 12 volts and you know that your windlass is rated at 400 watts, it follows that the windlass is rated to draw 33 amps.

But an all-electric boat might comprise several systems at different voltages. A single battery bank might supply cabin lights at 12 volts DC; winches and windlasses at 24 volts DC; the propulsion motor at 48 volts DC; and an induction stove, microwave and television at 110 volts AC. A DC-to-DC power converter steps the voltage up or down, and an inverter changes DC to AC. Instead of translating through all those systems, the Oceanvolt monitor (and Derek Rupe) simply reports in watts coming in or going out of the bank.

“We keep all our thoughts in watts,” Rupe said. “Watts count in the AC induction. They count in the DC-to-DC converter. They count the solar in. They count the hydrogeneration in. And the ­power-management systems tracks it that way for shore-power in.

“On a boat like this, maybe I have 500 watts coming in the solar panels,” he continued. “So then I can think: ‘Well, my fridge is using 90 watts. My boat has an electric stove. When I cook a big meal, I can see that for every hour we cook, we lose about 10 to 12 minutes of our cruising range.’”

During his Bahamas cruising season, Rupe observed that on days that they were sailing, the combination of solar panels and hydroregeneration supplied all the power he and his wife needed. “When we weren’t sailing,” he said, “we found that we were losing 8 percent each day, in the difference from what the sun gave us to what we were using for the fridge, lights, charging our laptops, and all that stuff.”

Rupe’s solution? “Twice in Eleuthera and once outside Major’s, we went out and sailed laps for a couple of hours because the batteries were below 30 percent of capacity. It was good sailing, and the wind was coming over the shore, so we didn’t have any sea state. We did a couple of hot laps on nice beam reaches, and generated about 700 watts an hour.”

Of the three sailors Rupe touted in October 2020—Alex Thomson, Jimmy Cornell and the Sailing La Vagabonde couple—only Cornell can report back on his all-electric experiences with Oceanvolt. Alex Thomson ended his circumnavigation abruptly last November, just 20 days after the Vendée Globe start, when Hugo Boss collided with an object in the South Atlantic. And at press time in early fall 2021, Riley and Elayna had just recently announced the build of their new Rapido trimaran; keep an eye on their YouTube channel for more about their experiences with the Oceanvolt propulsion system.

As for Cornell—circumnavigator, World Cruising Routes author, creator of the transoceanic rally, and veteran of some 200,000 ocean miles—he suspended his planned Elcano 500 round-the-world expedition solely because of the Oceanvolt system in his new Outremer catamaran. His Aventura Zero Logs on the Cornell Sailing website, particularly the Electric Shock article posted on December 2, 2020, are essential reading for any sailor interested in sailing an electric boat. “Sailing around the world on an electric boat with zero emissions along the route of the first circumnavigation was such a tempting opportunity to do something meaningful and in tune with our concern for protecting the environment that my family agreed I should do it,” Cornell wrote. “What this passage has shown was that in spite of all our efforts to save energy, we were unable to regenerate sufficient electricity to cover consumption and top up the batteries.”

Cornell’s experience in that article is raw, and his tone in that moment bitterly disappointed. We recommend it as essential reading—not as a final rejection of the electric-boat concept or of Oceanvolt’s system, or even as an endorsement of Cornell’s own decision that the system didn’t work. I suspect that I may have arrived at the same conclusion. Yet given the same boat in the same conditions, one imagines that a new breed of sailor—a Graham Balch or a Derek Rupe—may have responded differently to the constraints imposed by an all-electric boat, as nearly every cruising sailor today habitually responds to the inconvenient constraints of diesel engines and lead-acid batteries.

“If you bring electric winches, electric heads and an induction stove, and then sail into a high-pressure system, you’ll set yourself up for failure,” Balch said. “You have to balance your power inputs and your power outputs.

“Sailing an electric boat is a return to the tradition of sailing that the crutch of a diesel engine has gotten us away from,” he added. “Magellan’s fleet got all the way around the world, and they didn’t have a diesel engine.”

Tim Murphy is a Cruising World editor-at-large and ­longtime Boat of the Year judge.

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Aluminium Hybrid Yacht Series

GreeNaval yachts are a series of zero-emission, electric driven, silent aluminium hybrid yachts that are built from 100% recyclable material.

Created by Naval Yachts Co  GreeNaval yachts offer customers an attractive eco-friendly alternative to diesel cruising.

Currently available in 4 lengths, 40ft , 47ft , 50ft and 60ft

GreeNaval yachts are able to cruise for up to 30 miles each day on one charge.

Customers have a choice of two propulsion systems  that offer a reliable service with almost zero maintenance. Both also offer the benefits of no noise, smell or vibration.

GreeNaval yachts are built at the Naval Yacht Shipyard based in Antalya Free Zone in Turkey.

http://www.navalyachts.com

GreeNaval, Electric Yacht and Hybrid Boat Technology

Cruising with zero fuel consumption, daily 30 nautical miles range.

GreeNaval is a zero emission, electric driven and eco-friendly electric motor yacht brand designed by Naval Yachts . GreeNaval is a silent boat manufactured from 100% recyclable material and propelled with high-tech electric motors. With zero fuel consumption it can cruise up to 30 nautical miles per day.

ZERO EMISSION ZERO FUEL CONSUMPTION

GreeNaval is a zero emmision, eco-friendly electric boat. Engines powered by petroleum derived fuel, which are prefered to be used in yachts, release gases to the environment like NOx, CO, CO2 that damage the nature and human health,  instead of others electric boats are eco-friendly.  GreeNaval, thanks to high-tech electric motors prefered in its drive system, provides daily zero emission cruising comfort over the seas without using petroleum derived fuel. Energy required for the batteries can be obtained from the marina or any power outlet. Energy is also provided from other natural resources with solar panels and wind generator. If you are going for a cruise at the weekend, energy, that you will only be storing from the natural energy resources during the week days, will allow you to spend those two days delightfully.      

SILENT CRUISING

GreeNaval is a silent electric  yacht. Silence is one of the essential basic elements of a comfortable and cosy cruise. On a motor yacht with a regular diesel motor, there is approximately 60-70 dbA sound in the saloon while cruising but with GreeNaval’s electric motor design concept the sound in the saloon is almost not there. Silent operation and zero vibration experience of electric motor is one of the most outstanding features of GreeNaval. Due to high-tech electric motors it owns, GreeNaval provides valuable benefits such as long life, high quality, energy savings, maximum performance compared to the minimum fuel consumption along with low noise and vibration.

Naturally, motor boat owners are exposed to motor sound more than the sailing enthusiasts. After a while, boat motor sound could become disturbing with all the other noises. According to the researches, being exposed to sound levels over 90dB constantly might cause nausea, fatigue, muscle strain, increase in heartrate or blood pressure after some time. Due to electric motor, person sleeping next door wouldn’t wake up if the motor is run during night cruises. Moreover, its maintenance is far more easy compared to other motors. Naval Yacht, devoted itself to excellent products and performance, has produced GreeNaval with a hard-to-attain silent electric motor, achieved by its researches and studies in the field of this industry.

Besides all, as humans we, even though unintentionally, damage the World we live in. GreeNaval is designed to provide a harmless environment for both the World we live in and ourselves.

COMFORTABLE CRUISING No vibration, no noise, wider and higher living areas

GreeNaval offers a comfortable cruising. There is a huge vibration problem that arises from the operating principle of the internal combustion engines. Although it is tried to be reduced by using equipment such as vibration damping pads, getting close to zero can never be achieved.

GreeNaval is one of the most comfortable examples in its class. In GreeNaval battery technology, its battery capacity is developed to provide secure and comfortable cruising unlike the other hybrid models. Thanks to electrical thrust system, there is almost no vibration and sound. Their internal volumes are spacious and ceiling height is 2.05 m. Despite that, due to its special design center of gravity is at the bottom and stability of the boat is at a very good level. It offers the pleasure of being at the sea with the comfort of your own home.

GreeNaval offers a safe cruising . GreeNaval’s upper and lower housings are manufactured from marine aluminium plates by using the latest technology welding methods. Material used is Lloyd certificated and its origin is Europe. Ultrasonic welding controls have been made and approved.

The shell of the hull has been designed as double-walled, in this way even if damage occurs due to possible impacts from the bottom, it does not sink. Double-wall application is mandatory for tankers carrying liquid. This reliance-enhancing construction technique is adapted to the boat.  

Due to a special chemical application exerted onto the aluminum shell, electrolysis reaction will not occur on the boat hull. Any adverse condition such as corrosion, melting and etc. does not generate on the aluminium boat hull.

RECYCLABLE MATERIALS  Aluminum hull and superstructure

GreeNaval is a green yacht, manufactured from recyclable meterials . While designing GreeNaval’s hull and upper housing, durable, lightweight, environmentally friendly, recyclable and health harmless materials were researched. After the performed engineering calculations, it was decided to use marine aluminum that provides a number of different criteria. Usage of marine aluminum 5083 series has become widespread in the last 10 years due to its chemical and mechanical properties. It is foreseen that its usage in many critical industries such as marine, aerospace, automotive, machinery and energy will be much more high in numbers than the present stats.

Current boats can be made from fiberglass (glass fiber) and polyester materials by hand lay-up or injection methods from molds. However, the materials used are neither insoluble in nature nor environmentally friendly. Boats cannot be recycled when they fill their lifetime, they are decomposed or burned. Epoxy composites are also non-recyclable materials as fiberglass, and they are put on the wooden frame with sandwich technique.

It is possible to manufacture boats using steel sheet, but the steel hull weight is almost twice that of aluminum boat weight and consequently it brings fuel consumption as an issue.

When the commercial life of the vessel runs out, recycling of aluminum is possible. Therefore, aluminum is used for it’s a material that is both light, recyclable and have almost a strength value very close to steel.  

MINIMUM MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT, EASY HANDLING User friendly simplicity in design and mechanics

GreeNaval is a effortless hybrid yacht. When compared to diesel engine electric motor yachts requires very less maintenance. Electric motor yachts, as it’s in its operating principle, is a much more effortless and hassle-free system. It does not require exhaust system, cooling water and fuel system are at their minimum. Undesired conditions such as high vibration and high-volume occurring, and high heat released in diesel engines, that require maintenance and additional system, are not present in the electric motor.

No hydraulic system is ever used in GreeNaval system. All kinds of mechanical and electronic systems is minimized. Maintenance of the system and the equipment is easy and maintenance costs are very low.

In GreeNaval concept, it is intended that owner of Greenaval should be able to cruise without the need of anyone (with captain's license and subject to experience) and be able to intervene all hardware and equipment by him/herself.

EASY DRIVE, MANUAL OPERATION FOR EVERYONE

GreeNaval is suitable for anyone.  GreeNaval is far from systems structured in a complex way and puzzling.

Hydraulic, mechanical and electronic systems are designed in way to be simplest and not to malfunction. Also all parts of the mechanism can be controlled manually. Equipment with easily handled control mechanism is built in, providing maintenance and repairment that everyone can comfortably interfere. Interior space of engine room is large and have high ceiling. Valves, pumps, electrical switches and engine parts are manually accessible and in visible location. In summary GreeNaval does not include complicated and unnecessary details.

EXCELLENT MANEUVERABILITY Electric drive excellence from 0 Speed

  GreeNaval is a enjoyable hybrid yacht. In the current operating principle of diesel engines, thrust power transferred to the vessel acts slowly depending on the duration of the engine gaining its speed. But in GreeNaval’s electric motors thrust power is immediately transferred to the shaft and propeller, and this means more efficient maneuver and easier acceleration / deceleration capability. So electric yachts create an enjoyable driving experience.

Metal Durability, Lightweight, Eco-Friendly and Recyclable Just Aluminum superiority

GreeNaval manufactures it's upper and lower housings from marine aluminium plates. Use of advanced technology in the welding process ensures accuracy & efficiency.An important factor in yacht construction is weight. Aluminium is one of the lightest boat building materials available. A lighter weight increases performance, carrying capacity & reduces fuel costs.Aluminium is twice as strong as steel at the same weight and far stronger than fibreglass. Aluminium's lighter weight makes it easier to handle which reduces build costs.

REDUCED WEIGHT MEANS INCREASED EFFICIENCY We care about environment

Weight  is one of the most important factors of any boat. Aluminum is one of the lightest boat building materials available. A lighter boat increases performance, reduces fuel costs and increases carrying capacity.

Aluminium is not made from renewable resources. Yet, it is easier to recycle than other boat building materials. Recycling of aluminum uses about 90% less energy then raw material production. The scrap material from the building process is often reused and recycled. There is a high trade value on scrap aluminium.

Due to aluminium's lighter hull weight there is a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

The well designed and constructed aluminum boat is virtually free from maintenance. It will not rot, decay, corrode or weaken. It is impervious to chemicals, UV rays and other environmental conditions. An aluminum boat will need antifoul paint and sacrificial anodes as with any other boat left in the water.

GreeNaval preferred high-tech electric motors in propulsion

GreeNaval, thanks to high-tech electric motors that it preferred in propulsion, provides a daily cruise comfort with a zero emission over the sea. Energy required for the batteries can be obtained as well as from the marina or any power outlet and also be provided from other natural resources with solar panels and wind generator.

ELECTRIC MOTORS

All models of GreeNaval include advanced technology, high security and maintenance free electric motors as standard equipment. Electric motors don’t use petroleum fuels and show sensitivity to the environment with zero emissions. Due to its quiet and smooth operation, it offers a pleasant cruise over the seas. The fact that it requires low maintenance and creates effective maneuverability carries this pleasure to higher levels.

Motors that can be chosen according to preferences have voltages of 48V DC or 96V DC.

BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

In GreeNaval battery technology, its battery capacity is developed to provide secure and comfortable cruising unlike the other hybrid models. Top level batteries are used in GreeNaval to give trust to the boat owner. Since battery life is the at the top of the list of the things that boat owners mostly concern, special battery management system is developed to keep the battery life at the highest level. This special battery management system has a capacity of of 3.000 times recharge. If it is calculated to have approximately 200 charges in a year, lifetime of battery group can be calculated as more than 10 years.

The electricity systems of GreeNaval are designed in consideration of the future. Foresights about rapid developing battery technology are that battery prices will be decreasing drastically. And this will offer a cost advantage to the yacht owners in the battery change that will take place many years later, so they will be able to perform the battery change smoothly. 

SOLAR PANEL

There are full and semi flexible solar panels on which natural energy can be cultivated in GreeNaval. These panels can produce energy up to 20kW on a sunny weather. With this solar energy it’s possible to cruise at 5knot speed for 2 hours with zero cost.  

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Hybrid propulsion system

In recent years and decades, yachting technology has advanced at an incredible rate and there is no doubt that some of the most exciting developments have been around hybrid propulsion. With a growing desire to protect our world and oceans, the use of hybrid technology is an exciting solution to developing luxury yachts that have the lowest environmental footprint, along with many other appealing benefits.

As more and more hybrid yachts and concepts are coming to market – including the options available from Bering Yachts – hybrid-powered yachts are increasingly proving to be a popular choice for forward-thinking yacht owners. The subject of hybrid propulsion is a fascinating one, that could cover many pages, but here we summarize key points of note. For those interested in learning even more than we have addressed in the following article the expert Bering Yachts team is on hand to discuss in detail the possibilities that hybrid can offer, together with the pros and cons. Want to learn more about hybrid yachts? Continue reading below:

What is the history of hybrid propulsion?

Hybrid propulsion in yachting has its origins in the 20th century, with some iterations of its usage seen as far back as one hundred years ago. However, it is only in recent decades that the idea of “Green Yachting” has become better understood and more widely applied in a luxury yacht setting. It is also worth noting that this technology is still very much evolving, even now, with new and more efficient systems constantly being developed. Most particularly noteworthy advancements are around battery systems, their capacity, and capabilities.

Key projects in the evolutionary process of hybrid superyachts included 96-metre Limitless, launched by Lürssen in 1997. But, it was the launch of the 58-meter sailing yacht Ethereal from Royal Huisman in 2009 that really caught the attention of the yachting world. Hailed as the world’s first true hybrid superyacht, Ethereal was the brainchild of discerning owners who were determined to create an energy-efficient and environmentally responsible sailing yacht, drawing on all the available technology at the time to do so. The 2015 83.5-meter Savannah, which launched from Feadship in 2015 was another significant milestone, with a pioneering hybrid propulsion package installed. The yard reported that Savannah’s five-option propulsion system delivered significantly reduced emissions together with a 30% fuel saving when compared to similar non-hybrid vessels.

Today, more and more hybrid superyachts are being launched and offered, with hybrid yachts of note including the one-of-a-kind 142.81-metre Sailing Yacht A, 50-metre HOME and 50-metre Electra from Heesen, 43-metre Canova from Baltic Yachts and 80m Artefact from Nobiskrug.

But what exactly is hybrid propulsion technology?

Put simply, hybrid propulsion technology is the use of two (or more) different energy sources to power a yacht, with the traditional engine source being supplemented by another source. Most often this means the use of a combination of diesel and electric systems. These power sources can then either be used individually or in conjunction with each other depending on the system installed. Hybrid propulsion technology is applicable on both sail and motor yachts and is optimized to suit the vessel in question to deliver the best and most efficient results.

The Details

Traditionally yachts are powered by a combustion engine that is powered by fuel. By contrast, a fully electric propulsion system makes use of a battery-powered motor. A hybrid propulsion system will feature a variable combination of a combustion engine, generators, battery packs and electric motors, dependent on the system. There are two primary types of hybrid systems: serial and parallel. Key differences between these two systems are in the relationship between the propeller and the engine.

Serial Hybrid System:  This is where the main power source is an electric motor that is supplied by batteries, with an engine-driven generator on board to charge the batteries. When charged the electric motor will power the yacht, with the combustion engine shutting down. In a serial system, the engine and driveshaft are not mechanically connected. Often there will be the option for charging to also be powered by solar power, wind power, or shore power.

Parallel Hybrid System:  This more versatile set up offers multiple options for operations, allowing users to easily switch between propulsion modes (whether electric or combustion engine). Unlike the serial set up, in a parallel system, the engine and driveshaft are connected directly, with the electric motor working on the same driveshaft. With this system, the traditional engine set up remains for when long periods of operations are required. The electric system can then be used as needed, dependent on the setting/conditions/requirements, with both systems able to work in parallel.

Because it is not directly connected to the propeller shaft, a serial system’s generator/electric motor must be able to handle the highest propulsion levels that the boat can achieve and is subsequently more powerful than a parallel system. While a serial hybrid system delivers clear improvements in efficiency (versus a conventional system) when operating at higher/optimum speeds, this set up can also mean situations where efficiency benefits of the hybrid system are potentially reduced when being used in low-speed operations such as harbor maneuvering.

In contrast, the electric elements of a parallel system need not operate at such high propulsion levels. The standard engine can be used for higher levels, while the electric motor will usually be used for when low to moderate speeds are required. The traditional engine will usually put to use for higher speeds and/or when the batteries are depleted, meaning that the most efficient form of operations is instigated as needed.

Which system to use, and the power levels, ranges, and efficiencies that are possible will depend on a number of variables including the type and use of the yacht, and owner preference. Whatever the type of system in use, the end goal is to deliver the most efficient operations possible, making use of all systems and of available electrical energy.

What are the advantages of Hybrid Propulsion?

The primary benefits of hybrid propulsion include efficient power use, allowing fuel to last longer, and for a yacht to run itself with more self-sufficiency due to a reduced reliance on engine power alone. The use of hybrid propulsion can represent significant savings on operational costs when compared to equivalent non-hybrid yachts. The versatility of a hybrid system also allows captains to operate yachts in the best and most efficient way dependent on the setting and operation requirements

That said, other key benefits that are of direct interest to the luxury yachting sector include quieter operations, due to the options of placing the more compact power sources away from guest areas, and a reduction of vibrations. Hybrid propulsion technology is essentially silent mode for your yacht. Much of the technological developments around hybrid have been client-driven, with more owners now seeking to experience yachting in a lower-impact manner, while enjoying the best and most comfortable on-board experience. When the yacht is in ‘silent mode’ guests can enjoy their surroundings more without the background noise of engines, and also enjoy a quiet night of sleep that is undisturbed by operational noise.

What are the environmental benefits of hybrid propulsion?

There are many environmental benefits to the use of hybrid propulsion and all these benefits are in line with the style of expedition and exploration yachts being built by Bering Yachts. Using a hybrid system lowers the yacht’s fuel usage, reduces emissions, increases efficiency, and allows the yacht to go further for less. It means greener yachting – something that is more important than ever as the world becomes more aware of the impact of fossil fuels and pollution and of individual carbon footprints.

For those cruising in marine reserves and pristine waters, the knowledge that the impact of their yacht can be kept to a minimum is often another priceless benefit. ‘Silent mode’ also delivers on an experiential front – there is something very special about enjoying a deserted anchorage without any disturbance. Equally, when in port the ability to not run off full engine power is extremely appealing.

With more and more destinations on the planet becoming protected zones, where diesel-powered vessels are not allowed to visit in order to protect these precious sites, the ability to cruise under electric power is certain to become increasingly appealing. From coral reefs to nature reefs, there are rising numbers of cruising grounds where soon only yachts with electric propulsion will be able to gain entry. For those owners who wish to see the world without restraint, this is an extremely important consideration when considering whether to invest in electric propulsion.

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Caribbean charter special offer nassau - exumas - turks & caicos. bering 92 papillon crew luxury service..

OUR NEW HYBRID ELECTRIC CATAMARAN

We’ve been building our dream boat “in theory” for years.  Which has never been in the form of sketches but rather a list of features that would create the most self-sufficient boat possible.  Because…

Self-Reliance + Sustainability = Freedom

Self-Reliance:  To rely on our own resources and limit our need for a marina or fuel dock.

Sustainability:  Thinking about what we do today and how it will affect next week, next year, the next decade, and so on.  It’s the recognition that we’re all part of a living system and that everything we do impacts the world around us.

In other words, we want to be out in the world living and exploring for as long as possible.  Both in terms of not having to worry about our resources or our habitat disappearing.  It’s practical, not political.

And we know we’re not the only ones seeking this kind of freedom because we have you! Our community of like-minded people we’ve been having this exact conversation with for the past decade.  It doesn’t matter if you are in an RV, Tiny House, Sailboat, Motorboat, Homestead, Farm, Ranch, or Off-Grid Island Resort…at the end of the day, we’ve all connected over our love for nature and our desire to be in it.

This new HH44 is a continuation of that conversation and desire.  This is not the ultimate, all-time perfect eco boat or zero-footprint anything.  Not even close.  It’s the best option that we could find working with viable, available solutions.  It’s the type of innovation we want to support, encourage, and see way more of.  Selfishly of course.  Because we would love nothing more than to one day announce our all-time perfect sustainable boat with living hulls made of oysters and other bivalve molluscs that naturally propel the boat as they filter feed and improve the water as we travel the world’s oceans.  It may seem preposterous now but, in my defence, prior to 1961 most people didn’t think humans would be living in outer space…so anything is possible.

But until then, here is the sexiest, most self-sufficient sub-50-foot sailing catamaran we will soon call home!

This is the beginning of a very exciting journey and because we share it with you (thank you for being a part of it) we want to hear your thoughts!  What are you most interested in as we build this boat?  What systems or features you would like us to dive into as things progress?  Is there a feature or a piece of tech you don’t see that you think we should consider?  We’re all ears and eyes!

Learn more about HH Catamarans:  hhcatamarans.com/hh44-wynns

Full Disclosure:  Transparency is important and we want you to understand our relationship with HH Catamarans, what it means and how it will affect our content.  The short answer is, that it won’t.  We did receive a small discount on the purchase of our boat in exchange for the publicity our HH44 Catamaran will inevitably receive (because we document our travels).  But we have purchased the boat and retain full creative freedom and continue to create as we always have, sharing our honest experiences.

Hello there! I honestly don’t know what to say, so I am going to tell you a bunch of random facts instead. I'm a fish eating vegetarian who hates spiders and loves snakes. I almost never took vacations growing up. I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking (still do). I misspell about every other word I write and still struggle with grammar. I love splurging on a good high tea (which is really hard to find these days). And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I'll HAVE to do it!

Comments (112)

So happy you guys are back on the water. Can’t wait to watch how the new boat performs and the places it will take you. Thanks so much for the entertainment and the hope that some day we can follow you in real life and not just on the screen.

Scott Robinson

GEL COAT !! Super stoked for you two !! HH44. Home run, you guys could not have picked a better platform for your edventures.

GEL COAT all the way. I built semi custom 90 to 100 foot yachts and to paint or gel coat was always the question. Every boat we built was gel coat for numerous reasons and all the owners always came back and thanked us for the push towards gel coat.

Look very fwd to seeing CURIOUS 2 come together.

Your next journey i think will start in Cebu, Philippines. Where it is being built. Goodluck with your new journey.

John Scaramuzzo

Congratulations and well done! I’m a monohull fan, but ai have to say that the new HH44 is the cat that could possibly sway me! The hybrid drive and solar capacity is amazing considering the boat lines are so clean and attractive! Wishing you all the best. I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it!

Matt - SV Cadence

Congrats, Jason and Nikki! The new sailboat is a dream come true! All the best.

The HH44 looks amazing! Great choice!

I’m still scratching my head to figure out how the lines magically go from the helm to the rooftop, as the saloon sides are almost all glass. 🙂

Robert Jensen

I predict the next year will find your excitement level building month by month. I do hope the folks at HH will let you do some filming of the boat during its build. RR2’s videos have been very entertaining in that regard.

Will you be sailing Curiosity in the meantime or have plans if she should sell right away?

You’ve got all of Australia, New Zealand and Queensland to explore and visiting parts of the country that are miserable in the heat of their summer are probably very comfortable as you enter their winter.

I mentioned in a post on your YT channel that selling your boat might be easier on the paperwork out of a US territory like Guam.

Congratulation you two..she looks awesome..have you thought of a name ?

Exciting times, congratulations! Looking forward to hearing all about the build and the unveiling. Will you break a bottle of champagne against the boat?

I know you guys are in New Zealand….wait I don’t really know that. Wondering what’s next while you wait for the new Cat. How long does it take to make a yacht? Ever think about starting a yachting school? Getting couples or people interested in sailing to take the plunge? Or back to the basic of sailing Wynn style videos. Good Luck Guys, Stay safe, be well!

Theresa Hislop

Wow,just watched your clip re your new dream boat(how exciting for you both!),now we are watching you tube on these beautiful catermarans,can’t wait to follow you on your next adventures and the progress of the build of curiosity2.Have a great time in South Island too,it will be cold,so wrap up🥶but it is truly beautiful 😍 Shane and Tee(we once helped Jason from having to swim to his dinghy at the Barrier😂😂😂

Jennifer Burton

Looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing all your lovely adventures!

YES! I guessed correctly! So excited for you guys.

I’m currently sailing from fort Lauderdale to Bristol RI, but I can’t wait to catch up on the videos when I get home next weekend.

Will the keel/dagger boards (?) be able to be raised in shallow water? Can the boat be made with larger foils? Can the underside be contoured with ribs or some such that can eliminate some of the wave noises under the center hull? (It could be added after the mold process, of course.)

Ron Grisoli

Nikki and Jason, Congratulations. The HH 44 OC is just gorgeous! I am so excited for you and look forward to more adventures in it. I’ve been following your sailing adventures for the past few months, and so  far, have resisted the temptation to watch them out of order. I’m on the video where you just landed in Ecuador.  However, when I saw this in my inbox, I just had to skip ahead to check it out. Awesome, sustainable technology that seems like it was made for you guys! I’m curious about the lines routed underneath the deck. How quickly could you change a sheet if one were to blow out? It certainly cleans up the deck and minimizes tripping hazards. What a beautiful yacht. Enjoy!

Daphne Church

Congrats you two! HH is a phenomenal brand and the HH/OC44 is I think their best most innovative offering yet. They are lucky to have you guys aboard as brand ambassadors. Just curious if there is actually a “business case” that can be made for the extra cost associated with the hybrid set up, or is it just the coolness/eco-friendly side of things that sold you? In one of your expense’s breakdowns, you list monthly fuel expenses on the Leopard at $86/month on average, so roughly $1k/yr. Even if you triple this amount to $3k/yr and assume zero motoring, the payback is over 25 years to pay for this option. We recently went through a similar buying decision and HH was one of our finalists, but I couldn’t make this particular feature make sense when compared to a lightweight higher performance boats this competes against with daggerboards that sips fuel at such a low clip and is a negligible portion of the budget. (Seems silly to talk about budgets when dealing with $1M boats!)

Anyway, I’d love to hear your take on this as you both are so eloquent in your story telling and your journey has definitely inspired ours. I’m assuming you’ve ordered a ZeroJet OC 350 as well to slap on the back of Clarity2, (that’s our plan) it would be great if you take delivery first and give us the full low-down! Keep up the great work and looking forward to following the new adventure.

Rupert Verwey

Hi Nikki and Jason, Rupert here from South Africa. I am so excited for you. I love the HH cats, just wish I could afford one. Heck, I cannot even afford your old Leopard cat…. :(…..maybe if I sell half my organs I might…..lol. my dream cat doesnt matter what hulls it have, I will demast it and build a solar roof from above the dingy all the way to the bow with electric drives. Kinda like the Silent 55 cat……my ultimate dream but way too expensive. So a cheapy will have to do. So I would be most interrested in the eco elrctrical system of your HH.

Jan Jenkins

Yep, Im really looking forward to you getting to know this new yacht too and sharing it with us. Very much so, only I didnt want to use that word that every man and his dog tend to (over)use beginning with EX and ending in D. Thanks to you two, I now believe cats are the pyjamas for cruisers. Gone over to the other side from the yachtsman point of view; though I still think a keelboat on a heel is a beautiful thing to behold. Not so keen on being in one anymore, but will be by your side (in the comfort of my home) in your future adventures. You really bring huge enjoyment to me whether you are having an exhilarating introduction to a new place/experience and I can empathise with the frustrations when things aren’t going right. Im sorry you cant spend more time cruising here in the North Island, the weather wasn’t the best for you this summer, but you might make it back here again! If Dan and Kiko have shown us electric motors are workable, you can show just how much more flexible you can make your routing. And maybe we will see paws on board again??

Tom Moffatt

Is CURIOSITY2 being built in Cebu, Phillipines, or in Xiamen, China? If Cebu, where is the factory? An exciting project and I am among the many that will be following along.

Thomas Chandler

Cebu — Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines

Judy Goodson

I am so excited for you both! I hope “Curiosity 1” is going to a good home. We’ve all gotten emotionally attached to her, you know. I know you’ve done your homework, so I’m sure you’re going to love your new home. Can’t wait to see her in person!

How exciting and after taking a break from current Curiosity, am sure you will maximise storage, minimise waste and only buy and use what you absolutely need. The extra storage room is just so practical, food supplies and easy access to what you need to maintain or secure your electronics – how great an option that suits you both. Look forward to having those open windows bringing in the fresh breeze but not needing endless maintenance and the open views will just make it an incredible usable space. Just curious – do you think the ceiling height is different than current? I am hoping you get to visit Phillipines during the build – or a virtual visit (hire a local videographer) to talk about the build process, features before they are hidden – as who knows you may not be upgrading and removing older items for some time yet we all seem interested in the new gear you research. I very much like the idea – not using diesel, but do turn it over, replace diesel as it does age and no longer become viable over time (night-time turn it on boost power after cloudy days). So looking forward to you personalising things even more – your coffee maker, the cups and plates, cushions, soft furnishings too.

Alan Solomon

Oh My God. I am soooo excited for you both. Congratulations on this incredible, exciting journey you both have created. Awesommmme!!!! Very excited for you both! I know nothing of boat construction, on-board instruments and machinery or sailing for that matter. I sense that there are a lot of good, informative thoughts, suggestions, and ideas in the 41 or so comments above me. You might consider checking em out, one-at-a-time. The new HH is so modern, precise, clean with minimal rounded edges it reminds me of something from another world! Alien-like! Congratulations on this great move and exciting choice. Looking forward to next Sunday and more smiles from you guys. Safe travels, Love and Joy,

Pam McClure

Jeff Parkinson

I’m so excited for you guys! Can’t wait to see you guys sailing on your new OC44! Wondering whether you chose the carbon fiber mast?

Juan Paredes

Congratulation for the selecting the right boat for your needs. Great peace of mind to know that that’s all figured out (at least on paper). Still very curious about why you did not go with an all EV/ Solar catamaran like Silent Yachts (other than money of course)? Non the less, congrats and looking forward to the delivery video and many more to come.

Jeanette Brennan

You both sound so wonderfully giddy with excitement, and rightly so! Excellent adventures ahead – enjoy all the time you spend with your families when you get there. Freedom will be yours as you hit the high seas (hopefully not too high) later on. Will her name be Curiosity 2 or will she be called Freedom? We’re all really excited to hear about your upcoming travels. Hurry back! Stay safe, healthy and happy. 💓🌊⛵️🌊🙏💓

Outstanding boat…what a beauty! Hard to wait to see the completed boat and have longer video tours of each area of the boat. Enjoy your time ashore and I eagerly await the upcoming adventures you will have. Someone mentioned in the comments that the boat is built in China…you said in the video that you are picking it up at the factory…is that correct and the plan?

Curious Minion

According to the HH website, HH44’s and 50’s are being built at the factory in Cebu, Philippines. Curious Minion

Mark Beresford

So excited for you…Curiosity 2 will be a trend leader for yachts for years to come…Will thereby any form of autonomous drive as we’re seeing in cars nowadays…Or is that still in the future for sailing yachts?

Umm, boats have had it for many years in the form of autopilot or purely mechanical self steering for navigation. Automatically reefing and trimming sails do exist but they are fiendishly expensive and would be a nightmare to maintain.

Are you keeping Minion ? I did not see a space for that. I assume it will be hanging aft.

Well they’re keeping *Curious* Minion, but not the Highfield dinghy Minion. They mentioned in the video about selling Curiosity that it’s just too difficult to try to store everything off of Curiosity until the new boat is ready. They are selling her soup to nuts to the new buyer, which is a selling point for them since they will be picking her up in NZ and sailing off from there. Curious Minion

Brian Higgs

TexasTumbleweeds would better describe your wanderings all over the world. Much better description of your helter skelter travels describing your lifestyle so make it the new name of your wandering boat !!!

I can’t wait to hear all about your trip home!!! I

I looked up the factory and I see there are several places that sell these catamarans. Where will you leave from?

I am so excited for you both! I hope that there are good years ahead with little and hopefully NO maintenance. It seems that you have been working so hard over the last few years. You need to have some fun again.

Finally, one of my favourite sailing youtube channel, owning an HH 44 eco catamaran. Looking forward to the experience and seeing how that will change the trend in sailing. Congratulation guys!

I bet you will be riding the HH45 open

Beautiful boat. How fun!!!! Can’t wait for your next adventures:):):)

Congratulations….so happy for you two.

I absolutely love C2. I have a small suggestion to push her from eco friendly to eco loving. Have you considered either a CNG (compressed natural gas) or dual CNG/diesel fuel? The advantage of having a fuel that won’t spoil and has a lower CO2 foot print. I realize you have already signed a contract and they may be a bit more expensive.

Which hull number will your boat be?

Chris Aulbach

I read that it will be hull #3.

Sorry for all the comments. I was one of those kids who was always asking questions and I’ve had 70 years of practice.

Have you looked into the wired helm controllers? I see them sometimes in the Nautistyles boat tours and Rico swears by them as they let you go up on deck during docking and are more reliable than using wireless ones.

Elizabeth Jo Collins.

Congratulations!!! WOW! I want that boat! You guys have a beautiful new boat, and I’m looking forward to seeing you aboard it soon. I do have a question about where the wash and dryer are located? I’m so excited and happy for you two. GOD Bless you and keep you smiling and sending us all updates. Many prayers and hugs to you.

I was expecting you to go with a little larger boat as you mentioned in your ‘Checklist’ video but I can see sacrificing size to get the other features you want.

Are you going to do a comparison video on Curiosity vs Curiosity 2?

I think you should add the extra solar over the dinghy. Speaking of dinghies, are you keeping the one you have now or going with something different? Solid hull ones seem to be popular. Adding a cover to protect from sun might be worth it too for the long run. Considering what happened during your eventful passage to New Zealand I’d be looking at a dinghy that is deflate proof. Also a better location for your liferaft. One where you can get at it faster and one that’s in a more secure location near the back of the boat.

I’m so happy for you guys it looks like a dream catamaran. Just one word of caution make sure H&H has cleared up any lawsuits it has with gun boat. All the designs at H&H has are stolen from American builders from the Chinese, why am I not surprised?

The son of the owner of HH looks a lot like Jason. When you go to pick up your boat don’t bring the wrong one home.

If the solar panels on the boat are custom I would see about buying a spare set as soon as you can so in case they become unavailable you’ll be covered for future repairs.

I hope SelfReliance isn’t the new name. It is so unimaginative. You can do better.

Your new catamaran looks amazing! Per your request, here are topics / questions I’d like to learn more about.

1. What color(s) did you choose for the hull?

2. What can you do now, or do differently with the new / enhanced features of this boat? (More time between provisioning, certain budget items will be more or less, etc.)

3. Suggestion: consider working with HH to create videos showing construction / build out of key areas. Could be an interesting series and benefit HH as well.

Buy a more comfortable chair for the Nav station. Maybe bug screens for those large windows when you open them. You’ll just use them at anchor in buggy locations, although they could keep out the flying fish too.

Considering your ‘Want list’ does HH have tight weather enclosures for the cockpit for those hot/cold/windy/high seas days?

Gregory Illes

I am intensely curious, perhaps you know: HOW does a 44′ catamaran get shipped from Xiamen to North Carolina? (I presume you’ll be receiving the boat in the US.)

The HH44’s are being built in Cebu, Philippines.

According to the HH website, all future HH44’s and 50’s are being built at the factory in Cebu, Philippines. And you can ship a boat or have it delivered anywhere (limited only by your willingness to write checks) but if Nikki and Jason plan to continue their circumnavigation, picking it up in the Philippines makes more sense. Based on the video, I guess we’ll all wait to find out! Stay tuned! Curious Minion

Im soooo jealous! How long is production meant to take?

July 2023 is the projected delivery date. Curious Minion

My suggestion is for the Nav station is to add a 32″ or larger, wide screen monitor that you can use for most of your sailing needs and then add either or the Mac Studios ($1999 or $3999) or a similar PC set up for video editing so you can both watch the helm and do your video editing at the same time. The power and speed of a workstation will cut down on your editing time and you’ve got the extra power on board you don’t have to skimp anymore. They’ve got the power so you both could work on it at the same time. You can network out to your laptops no matter where they are on the boat. In fact you might consider adding Cat 6 or better Ethernet during the boat build. Run them throughout the boat wherever you might want to use your laptop. Faster and better connection than wi-fi.

Add some Sonos speakers around the boat too. Hard to beat their sound quality and features.

You could easily add voice command via Alexa or Google so if there were an emergency while you were in bed you could instantly command a system to turn on or shut down. Great for turning on and off lights, tv, music, and controlling HVAC, security.

Tom Tessmer

AWESOME guys! Well…yeah that’s all I can think of…AWESOME!

Will you still have a dingy and if so where does it stow?

Jim Hawkings

I live in Nova Scotia, south shore, CANADA. Very near Halifax. I do have relatives in New Zealand. I would prefer a mig welded Cat or Trimaran.. is HH associated with any builders here in Canada. I am interested in having a livaboard as my mini-home.

I love this new name “SelfReliance” for your new boat

Where … did you got it ???? 😀

Happy sailing … Happy life !!!!

Self reliance should be every humans ultimate goal in life😁 Then we can honestly give to others without hidden agendas or personal issues!

David Gallimore

Nikki and Jason, so glad you’ve recovered from COVID! Congratulations on your new HH Cat! I’m inspired by your commitment and leadership to helping SOLVE the climate crisis with your decision to purchase a much more eco-friendly catamaran! I look forward to seeing how the ripples you create lead to waves of positive change in the sailing world!!

Keith Lacoy

Congratulations, the new boat looks amazing! Can’t wait to see the real thing in action.

Beautiful boat…are you picking it up in the Philippines? What are you plans for the next year while you wait for this beauty to be built?

Sandra & the 2 Spaniels

Boat looks amazing! Can’t wait to see Nikki cooking in the fab new kitchen! I feel like she does about propane-uh, no! I am even hoping to get an electric cooking stove in my house, if I can get the gas lines removed. The picture tour was great, but I am waiting for the up close and real tour! Congrats!!

Does your new HH-44 have radar? If you seek yet another highly intelligent source of imput regarding this boat contact Troy at Free Range Living and solicit his advise as he is real smart and he might recommend some type of modifications or what ever !!! Best wishes from Fort Worth, Texas !!!!

S/V PORTFOLIO

Good choice of boat design and technology. All electric is not yet practical for passage making, so hybrid is currently the only environmentally friendly, motor-sail silently, practical choice. Never liked the helm stations on Cats. Too exposed. These helms are a great compromise for safety, comfort and visibility. Congrats.

Michael Magill

Congratulations on your new boat, can’t wait to tag along on your next adventures. Have a safe journet home, and we will see you when your back in the water. It will be a different sailing and it looks like it will be a great way to explore. Have a great time with your family and friends . Good Luck

Sounds like the perfect choice. I’m so happy you guys can continue this amazing adventure is real style and comfort.

Christopher Davis

Congratulations, so very awesome. Who ever bought curiosity the first probably got a the best self maintained boat ever. I can hardly wait for the new adventures

Chris Davis Clearwater County, Alberta, Canada

John Curtis

I agree on the technology question, Charles. It sounds like there are many more electronics on this new boat. What safeguards are in place to ensure the safety and continued functioning of them? Are there redundant or backups for key equipment, just in case?

Congratulations! Looking forward to to all of the progress and technical videos.

Steve and Mandy

What an amazing opportunity you have created for yourselves. New boat sounds exciting. Question, with all this performance would you be kind enough to show us how everything will be secured. Being the new need for speed water bearing beautiful people that you are.

What about “Minon”?….”Minon 2″ ??. You will still need to reach shore.

Steven Irby

Very exciting! After reading your wish list for a new boat, I was pretty sure the HH 44 would be your choice. It’s the only cat on the market that checks all the boxes…the hybrid propulsion system with shaft drive really puts it over the top! I am looking forward to following your videos as you acquire and sail it. Can’t wait to see one in person. Congratulations!

I am so excited to hear that you are moving up from the near east side. The two of you have done a fantastic job building out your current boat for sure! Now you’ll only have to set sail, major work free for a few good years. Defiantly visit the South Island. You will fine it more captivating than the north, which is saying something. Peace and safe seas.

Nikki Newman

Where is the HH Catamaran factory located? Will you be taking delivery there?

Mike Priaro

James Bolling

HH web site states that the build site is their Cebu, Philippines plant

IDTS, it’s in the US now.

Seems that HH44’s are being built in the Philippines

According to the HH website, all future HH44’s and 50’s will be built in their factory in Cebu, Philippines. Curious Minion

(¯`v´¯) `*.¸.*´ ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•… ┊　　┊　　☆ ┊　　★ ☆ WHEEEEEEEE!!!! I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!

Wendy Weaver

Lisa –

Love the celebration ‘fireworks’ your keyboard skills produced!

CONGRATULATIONS NIKKI & JASON!! My Husband & I have been big fans for years and want to do what you do when we grow up! Please place twin order for that gorgeous OC44 for us! LOL! Laura & Paul

Ed Thompson

How exciting! So happy for you guys. Boy, it looks like a great boat with every bell and whistle one could imagine. Right decision on the direct drive in my opinion. Absolutely astounding electrical system with huge battery storage and motor/high output generator. The cockpit and salon layout is amazing. And the workroom with the huge storage and a supplemental refrig is awesome. Can’t wait to see you guys sailing in it!

A lot of amazing technology and capability on this new boat.

But I am not crazy about the large flat bottom between the hulls – an area that will make a lot of noise and take a lot of stress in high seas.

There is also a certain amount of risk in taking on an unproven model. Because of its newness and high-tech construction and equipment, many critical repairs and repair parts won’t be readily available or DIY.

Ther is a lot to be said for the principle of KISS: keep it simple, stupid!

Mike~ The builders have already proven and built high performance yachts and catamarans since 2012. Construction methods are built for America’s Cups and know what they are doing.

Rick Tressler

I agree. You two have proven that you can do anything when it comes to repairs. However, there are always going to be “issues” with a new boat. One recommendation: When you take delivery, don’t be sailing off on a multi thousand mile trip. Stick close to home for a while until most issues are worked out. Of course you already knew that. Safe travels.

They told me this same thing when I wanted to take my RV to Alaska the first year I owned it. I feel sure they will get their feet wet before a major passing.

I have been following y’all since your trip to Alaska in your class a Bounder. My wife and I are full timers for 19 mos in our Montana 5th wheel. Congratulations to both of you. Safe passage and keep the fantastic content coming.

We look forward to watching you every Sunday night. You are simply a part of our family (the ones we like) and we could not be happier for you both. Can’t wait to continue watching your marvelous adventures!

Yes, yes. All of this is wonderful, congratulations. However, your video left out the most important feature in your selection– what color did you choose?

That’s pretty important, I agree.

Sherie and Craig Masters

Yay! We’ve been wondering and waiting the big reveal! Wow! What a great boat! Perfect for you both and can’t wait to see your journey continue on Curiosity2! Now you have us thinking about HH for our second boat. 🤔

Congrats & best of luck. Price?

Jeff Cheesman

What is the build time?? From deposit to splash.

Leland Crenshaw

I am so excited for you two! You so deserve this great new boat!

Brenda King

What a beautiful boat! Congratulations.. it will be exciting to see the build underway. The work room is fantastic and perfect use for a third cabin.

Two questions.. Will she be named Curiosity? Can you tell us more about the marine refrigeration? Capacity, models etc. I know that was a big issue on the current boat.

Best of luck with the upcoming surveys!!!

The new name is … “SelfReliance” !!!

No, the name is Curiosity 2. They said so in the message.

I’m a bit old-school, but whenever ’digital’ is mentioned, I cringe. But wow! What a boat!

But where’s the life raft that drops out in the middle of the night in rough seas on long passages???!!!!

I see the sail bags sold in a flash. Congrats! I’ve anticipated this post for weeks. I’m really looking forward to the future watching you guys.

Dr J. Stuart Latham

Hi both, the new boat sounds incredible, I wish you all the best for your continued adventures on the Oceans. The tech has always been an interest and high involvement throughout my life, along with a short 7 year career in the RN so I get the draw and freedom of the Sea.

Kind regards, Stuart (Sheffield, UK)

Duane Terry

Wow, so excited for you two. The new boat Sounds amazing. Love reading and watching your blog. Love from Oregon.

Charles Lear

Two questions:

1. Are there provisions to make the aft cockpit weather tight? 2. That is a lot of technology. How do you feel about maintaining that equipment while at sea?

I particularly wondered about number 1, as well.

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Over 100 years after the first (successful) diesel-electric yacht, Southern Wind explain how hybrid marine power is taking a big step forward in a size range that allows better use of industrial developments in other sectors.

What will the next superyacht launched by Southern Wind Shipyard have in common with more than 400 New York City buses? Absolutely nothing, until you look in the engine room where you’ll find the same diesel-electric power and propulsion technology from BAE Systems. The  SW96#04 , due for delivery next summer, is Southern Wind’s first yacht with a hybrid drive, a major milestone for the shipyard. And their next diesel-electric project is already taking shape: the brand new  SW108 Hybrid  which has already been sold for delivery winter 2023. If the current level of interest from clients is sustained, Southern Wind expects to be building up to – two hybrid-powered yachts per year going forward.

It might seem strange to source a hybrid drive from the public transport industry rather than using a system designed from the outset specifically for marine use, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Most if not all of the commercial marine diesel-electric hybrid systems currently on the market are far too big for a 29-metre (96ft) sailing yacht and the leisure marine systems are much too small. The suppliers at both ends of the spectrum don’t see enough demand to upscale or downsize their existing products, so there’s a gap in the middle of the market from around 200 to 400kW (roughly 300 to 500hp). Or rather, there was a gap which BAE Systems has now filled, in partnership with Southern Wind.

There’s also the key issue of reliability. Diesel-electric marine propulsion has been around for more than a century, going all the way back to Jack Delmar-Morgan’s motor yacht Mansura in 1912, but none of the current marine-specific hybrid drives are anywhere near the maturity of BAE Systems’ technology, which has been deployed in more than 14,000 vehicles worldwide over the last 25 years. It’s proven beyond doubt to be extremely reliable with complete dual redundancy built in, and it’s backed up by a global support network of skilled technicians who already have years of repair, maintenance and troubleshooting experience.

BAE Systems’ hybrid expertise goes far beyond buses – it’s also the leading supplier in many aerospace and commercial applications, including ferries and offshore fishing vessels. It’s a smart move for Southern Wind to tap into this huge infrastructure and economy of scale.

What are the benefits of hybrid propulsion? Apart from the fuel economy gain of a system that always runs at peak efficiency – conservatively estimated between five and 30 per cent for a Southern Wind hybrid – and the resulting reduction in carbon footprint, there are four major advantages for a sailing boat and especially for a long-range ocean cruiser that needs to operate in complete autonomy for weeks or months at a time.

First, there’s the ability to regenerate power via the propeller and keep the yacht’s batteries charged for the whole duration of an ocean passage under sail, running the sailing systems and some hotel systems without using any fuel. ‘When you’re crossing the Pacific for example it means that you can arrive with full tanks in a remote area like the Marquesas or Tuamotus and start exploring the small archipelagos immediately, without first having to go and refuel,’ Micheli says.

Second, the hybrid system’s huge battery capacity enables a yacht to operate for periods of time in silent mode with zero emissions, under power and at anchor. There’s no need to run generators overnight in an anchorage, which improves the quality of life for people on other yachts nearby as well as for the owner and guests on board. Silent running also means zero pollution, less disturbance to wildlife and a better experience for guests in wilderness areas and conservation zones.

Third, a hybrid system powered by two relatively small generators instead of one big engine allows a large yacht to circumvent the stringent IMO Tier 3 regulations for all new marine diesel engines with a power output greater than 130kW (174hp). Exclusion zones for noncompliant vessels already exist in the US and are due to be enforced in the North Sea, with other areas expected to follow. The nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction requirements of Tier 3 are a challenge for yacht builders, Micheli says, because the solutions that have been developed for commercial shipping such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR) are impractical for a sailing yacht with a 300-450hp auxiliary engine.

The fourth big benefit of hybrid drives is their longevity. In a conventional installation, a yacht’s gensets are typically replaced (or completely rebuilt) after 20,000 hours and the engine after about 25,000 hours. By contrast, as Southern Wind’s technical manager Yann Dabbadie explains, the BAE Systems HybridGen drive is rated for 52,000 hours of running.

Crews and owners aren’t very comfortable with the technology, Micheli says, because they don’t fully understand it Hybrid drives do require high-voltage power that is potentially lethal but in the Southern Wind/BAE HybridGen setup it’s safely confined to sealed units within the engine room. It doesn’t run all around the boat. ‘The architecture of the system is optimised for safety as well as weight, performance and reliability,’ Dabbadie says. ‘There are no loose terminals and all junction boxes are protected. Even if you accidentally opened a junction box, there is no way you can hurt yourself as the system will cut the high voltage automatically. The system is built to class requirements, it’s installed on ships already and we’re working closely with RINA.’

Another reason for the slow uptake of hybrid drives, especially for racing yachts and high-performance cruisers, is that they usually weigh more and take up more space than a conventional engine – but this one doesn’t. ‘It’s about a ton lighter than any of the other hybrid systems on the market,’ Dabbadie says. ‘The total weight depends on the battery capacity that the owner chooses to have but if you compare like for like it’s not much heavier than a normal diesel installation.’ It also occupies the same amount of space, and fits neatly into the existing engine rooms of most yachts that Southern Wind has built, so it’s a viable retrofit option for many owners.

Yacht owners and crews are also quite often sceptical about the availability of technical support and troubleshooting services when they’re anchored off a remote island or sailing in mid-ocean, thousands of miles from land. Once again Southern Wind has a solution, drawn this time from the offshore power industry. Crews receive training from BAE Systems as part of the yacht’s sea trials and a headset with a camera and virtual reality visor could possibly be supplied for remote assistance. A low-bandwidth satcom link is all that’s needed to provide expert guidance and to troubleshoot any problems remotely. For servicing or maintenance work in far-flung parts of the world, a local technician can be sent from the nearest service centre.

All of this, however, is just one part of a wider drive towards more sustainable yachting at Southern Wind. The efficiency gains of a new, remarkably efficient air conditioning system are expected to be even more significant for a yacht in typical charter usage than the benefits delivered by the HybridGen propulsion system. And that’s just the start of a new direction for this innovative shipyard.

• Hybrid marine power
• Southern Wind

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The electric/hybrid boat market is heating up with new models as well as repower options. Should your next boat be a hybrid?

The Greenline Hybrid is equipped with both a VW diesel and electric motor, so it can run silently up to 6 knots, or up to 15 knots on diesel power.

The phrases are familiar now, and promising: "green, smaller carbon footprint, hybrid," and so on. We've seen the growing success of hybrids in the automotive market, and we're starting to see the same trend when it comes to boats. So what are the things a potential buyer should know? Could a hybrid fit the way you boat?

The concept of hybrids at sea isn't new. WWI submarines used a diesel engine by night to charge batteries for electric propulsion underwater by day. Hybrid means anything that supplements a traditional combustion engine, be it gasoline or diesel. The supplement can be done in one of two ways: Parallel or Serial. Let's look at the distinctions:

Serial Hybrid

The prime mover is an electric motor supplied by a substantial battery bank of any type. A generator is optimized purely to charge the battery bank. The generator control can be automatic; starting and operating based on need without the captain's intervention, or manual where the captain decides when he or she would like to begin the charge cycle. These installations typically also include provisions for charging with shore power, solar, or wind.

Parallel Hybrid

The prime mover can be a combustion engine or an electric motor. Both drive the same prop shaft(s). Generally the installation will look like a traditional combustion engine but include an electric motor component between the engine and transmission. The key to this technology is the clutch system. You may be able to shift on the fly, seamlessly changing from combustion to electric with the touch of a button; though some require the engine to come to a complete stop before switching to electric. Charging batteries is carried out by the engine through advanced controllers and in some installations is supplemented by large solar panels.

This option lends itself to planing boats that need power to get out of the hole but can switch to electric while on plane. It's also a popular option in five- to seven-knot boats. These units are also being marketed as direct replacement refits, with additional battery power, of course!

Where Do I Start?

Let's imagine for a moment how the move to a hybrid boat would change your approach to boating. Consider a typical cruising day, leaving the dock and navigating through the mooring field and buoyed channels under electric power only, silently, without having to yell over the drone of the engines. Once out in the open, you'd switch to the combustion engine for higher speeds and battery recharging. Arrival at your anchorage allows you to switch to electric to find the perfect spot and set the hook. The evening never requires the use of the generator, because the combustion engine charged the battery bank during the trip. In the morning, depending on the battery bank and usage, electric power can be used to pull up anchor and head silently past your neighbors and out to open water.

A single-cylinder diesel engine optimized to drive a generator at peak fuel efficiency charges the battery bank on this serial installation

This scenario describes a parallel (one shaft, two motors) installation. A perfect example of this type of boat is the revolutionary Greenline Hybrid. A parallel installation, this boat has been designed from the keel up for hybrid use. With a new "super-displacement, low-drag" hull, Greenline claims this boat moves through the water more efficiently than a conventional hull. Top speed is advertised at 15 knots with the ability to cruise at three knots or so on the integrated solar panels (with the help of abundant sunshine).

The Greenline is available now, as are sleek runabouts and tenders from Austrian boatbuilder Frauscher, whose boats feature Steyr diesel-electric motors and Mastervolt batteries. Other major boatbuilders have displayed hybrid options at boat shows all over the world but many are still prototypes. The benefits are the same, automated or manual choice of electric or traditional propulsion and plenty of power for the onboard needs of the boat owner. Whether you're a go-fast boater or a displacement cruiser, there are systems that can meet your needs.

Building on the advantages of the perfect boating day is the serial option, which has only an electric motor driving the prop shaft — such as Hunter's e36 sailboat. A conventional generator exists purely to charge the battery bank for the electric propulsion. Solar or wind generation can be added.

Electric-only motors are becoming a very popular re-fit option for several reasons. One substantial benefit is the difference in weight. Even considering the battery bank, a typical installation of an electric motor and the generator can weigh 20–30 percent less than the diesel they replace. There's no transmission with this installation; the electric motor is simply reversed, saving weight and another fluid to check and change.

Recently I had the unique opportunity to crawl around one of these refits, installed by Propulsion Marine from Santa Barbara, California. The decision to install this system resulted during a complete re-fit of a classic boat and the owner's reluctance to install a traditional diesel. The first obvious change was to the physical space itself. A normally cramped engine compartment now contained a small one-cylinder diesel, electric-drive motor (about the size of a five-gallon bucket!) and an array of controllers, wiring harnesses, and switches. Batteries were (MIKE, where?). In addition to the normal benefits of hybrid propulsion, Propulsion Marine's customers notice an increase in top speed and cruising range along with the joy of silent running. This installation has the ability for remote troubleshooting (Wi-Fi dependent) and upgrades should they be needed in the future. The serial option is optimal for low-speed displacement boats, and is an extremely attractive option on sailboats.

A 165-hp common-rail diesel from Volkswagen coupled to the electric motor in the Greenline Hybrid is a perfect example of a parallel-hybrid system.

Nuts & Bolts — Voltage & Charging

The common elements with all these installations are large, expensive battery banks. In many cases these are not the 12-, 24-, or even 48-volt systems we're used to. While several manufacturers are designing to 48 volts, others are using 120, 250, and even 400 volts or more. These are not systems you'd want anyone other than a trained technician to diagnose and repair.

Charging can be accomplished in many ways, but the important thing is battery management. Parallel systems can be fitted with smaller banks because the combustion engine can drive the boat as necessary, while the serial method needs enough juice to get you the entire distance. In order to optimize the performance and lifespan of these large DC power plants, the charge method is of utmost importance. The charging characteristics are custom programmed for the banks they're serving. High-end charge controllers have the ability to take almost any source of energy (shorepower, alternator, solar, or wind) and turn it into the correct output for the battery bank.

This Elco electric motor is designed to replace the diesel auxiliary in 30- 40- foot sailboats. It is an option in the Hunter 36.

Information Management And Safety

By design, these systems connect many components that need to work together, which generates a wealth of information. Some gear-head boaters, like yours truly, would like as much information as possible; some just want the silence. Make sure the option you choose has the ability to hide or display the information you want.

Part and parcel of the responsibility of these new systems is safety. The user must never come into contact with these voltages. The key is to build it right in the first place and never need to utilize built-in safety protocols. The world of standards is catching up with technology. The American Boat & Yacht Council published a document titled "TE-30 Electrical Propulsion Systems" in 2009 and the ISO and IEC international standards groups are working on a document as you read this. When researching one of these innovative products, ask, "To what standard was this product designed and built?" Some builders are ahead of the marine standards curve and building to an electric train/light-rail specification, others pay close attention to the automotive market.

The hybrid boat market is gaining traction. At the Marine Equipment and Trade Show (METS) this year, more and more companies were displaying systems, system components, and battery technologies that were suited to the propulsion market. The decision to invest in a hybrid boat must take into account your boating preferences as well as the technical advantages and maintenance issues. The market is substantially supplying and backing this exciting technology. The more time passes, the more players will enter the arena, the more the prices will come down, and the more choices you'll have.

Hybrid Resources

• Greenline Hybrid Boats
• Marlow Hunter Sailboats
• Mastervolt batteries
• Frauscher Boats: hybrid and electric runabouts and tenders
• Elco Electric Motors

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Hybrid Superyachts

Explore the Newest Hybrid Yachts on the Market

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Welcome to an entirely bespoke yacht sales and charter experience, where you are looked after by the most knowledgeable and experienced brokers in the world. We believe in making the process of buying, selling, building, or chartering a yacht completely seamless and easy for our clients. This is yachting with a difference.

Cruising while conserving our oceans

As the largest ecosystem on Earth and the planet’s life support system, the ocean is vital to our survival. Vast, beautiful, and mostly unexplored, the superyacht industry is built upon the splendors of ocean living. With the threat of climate change looming ever closer, the industry is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of protecting these waters. Ocean conservation is becoming a central part of cruising, and what better way to do that than by using a hybrid system on your superyacht?

The advantages and benefits of using an e-Motion hybrid system are ample. Not only does using a hybrid system drastically reduce your vessels annual CO2 emissions, but it also improves the quality of life on board.

By switching between electric batteries and diesel generators, the yacht’s energy distribution can be fully optimized, reducing fuel consumption. For example, fuel consumption is reduced up to 30 percent when in Economy Navigation Mode. At the same time, e-Motion hybrid systems also reduce the environmental exhaust and water pollution emitted by motor yachts. Cleaner and safer waters will help ensure the survival of the oceans while making cruising more enjoyable. Motor yachts become as silent as sailboats while cruising in diesel-electric and zero-emission mode, making it possible to depart to your destination silently without waking any guests.

By switching it to zero-emissions mode, one can swim in the waters behind any motor yacht without fear of noxious fumes and noises from the generators while enjoying the peaceful sounds of the ocean. Once moored, it is also possible to switch off generators and run on battery power in a noise-free environment. Fast battery charging means that each battery reaches a 90% charge in only 35 minutes or less, making them ideal for using when moored. So why not help conserve our oceans while cruising by switching over to a hybrid system?

The eco-friendly superyachts are quite rare on that market. If you are not looking to compromise building a new yacht while incorporating hybrid systems, solar panels and waste management solutions will be the best fit for you.

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There are various options on the brokerage market of production yachts featuring solar panels up to 115′. With brands such as Arcadia, Silent, & Serenity pushing the boundaries in environmentally friendly yachts.

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The little (electric) engine that could: The Port of San Diego unveils the nation’s first all-electric tug boat

The 82-foot eWolf expects to eliminate 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide

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The nation’s first all-electric tug boat has docked at the Port of San Diego and expects to begin emissions-free operations in about a month.

Operated by Crowley Maritime Corporation , the 82-foot eWolf will escort ships entering and leaving the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal using electric power instead of diesel fuel, helping slash greenhouse gas emissions at the port and its neighbors in Barrio Logan and National City.

For the record:

1:58 p.m. March 13, 2024 This story has been updated to show the correct amount of government funding that went to the project.

“This is a big deal,” said port chairman Frank Urtasun at a news conference Monday. “This is new technology.”

Capable of speeds of up to 12 knots, the eWolf is powered by a 6.2 megawatt-hour main propulsion battery and two electric drives. The tug has thrust — also known as bollard pull in the parlance of the shipping industry — of 76.8 short tons, which is more powerful than the diesel-powered counterparts at the port.

Constructed in Alabama, the eWolf is equipped with two small generators for emergency use that allow the boat to travel longer distances at a reduced speed.

“Like an electric car, you step on the gas and it jumps,” said Paul Manzi, vice president of Crowley Shipping, based in Jacksonville, Fla. “All of the attributes that you have with an electric motor operation in a car or in an electric truck, you see here in the (eWolf) at massive scale. And it’s extremely quiet so when it pulls away from the dock you literally won’t hear any noise.”

The tug boat’s electricity will come from a charging station that is part of a microgrid facility equipped with two energy storage containers. Battery modules in each container have storage capacity of nearly 1.5 megawatt-hours.

Interconnected with the help of San Diego Gas & Electric, the charging station at the port is designed to allow the vessel to recharge quickly and reduce peak loads on the electric grid.

Operators plan to charge the eWolf overnight so it can perform its chores during daytime hours.

“This technology has individually been around for a while, but it hasn’t necessarily been integrated and optimized to all work together — and that’s kind of our role,” said Bruce Strupp, vice president at ABB Marine & Ports , the company that designed the boat’s propulsion system. “Some of the technology is our technology, some of it’s third-party technology, but we integrate it all together.”

The electric tug boat is expected to begin commercial operations at the port in mid- to late-April, depending on the completion of the charging station.

Officials at Crowley did not release the eWolf’s price tag Monday, saying only that it cost about twice as much as a conventional diesel-powered tug boat of comparable size.

But, Manzi said, the company expects the eWolf’s maintenance and operating costs will be “dramatically lower” than what’s spent on a diesel-powered tug boat because the electric model has fewer moving parts.

The entire project — the vessel as well as the charging station — received four grants that added up to $13.67 million, with two grants of $10.9 million from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, one grant of just over $2 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and $750,000 from the federal government’s Maritime Administration.

In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that directed state agencies to transition off-road vehicles — including tug boats — and equipment to 100 percent zero emissions by 2035.

By replacing one of the port’s diesel-powered tugs, the eWolf is expected to eliminate the consumption of about 35,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year. In its first 10 years of use, the electric tug boat is expected to reduce about 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the port and its surrounding areas such as Barrio Logan and National City.

“We’re trying to be good neighbors and trying to be able to help to reduce emissions here to help the electrification movement,” Urtasun said, adding that the port has spent about $130 million on various electrification projects.

Last year, the Port of San Diego became the first in North America to install a pair of all-electric cranes to load and off-load heavy cargo. Each 262 feet high, the cranes replaced an older crane that ran on diesel fuel. Together, the cranes expect to help the port reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47 metric tons per year.

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Check out Moscow’s NEW electric river trams (PHOTOS)

Water transportation has become another sector for the eco-friendly improvements the Moscow government is implementing. And it means business. On July 15, 2021, on the dock of Moscow’s ‘Zaryadye’ park, mayor Sergey Sobyanin was shown the first model of the upcoming river cruise boat.

The model of the electrical boat with panoramic windows measures 22 meters in length. The river tram - as Muscovites call them - has a passenger capacity of 42, including two disabled seats. The trams will also get cutting edge info panels, USB docking stations, Wi-Fi, spaces for scooters and bicycles, as well as chairs and desks for working on the go. The boats will be available all year round, according to ‘Mosgortrans’, the regional transport agency. 

Passengers will be able to pay with their ‘Troika’ public transport card, credit cards or bank cards. 

The main clientele targeted are people living in Moscow’s river districts - the upcoming trams will shorten their travel time in comparison to buses and other transportation by five times, Mosgortrans stated. 

As the river trams are being rolled out, Moscow docks will also see mini-stations, some of which will also be outfitted with charging docks for speed-charging the boats.  

Moscow is set to announce the start of the tender for construction and supply in September 2021. The first trams are scheduled to launch in June 2022 on two routes - from Kievskaya Station, through Moscow City, into Fili; and from ZIL to Pechatniki. 

“Two full-scale routes will be created in 2022-2023, serviced by 20 river trams and a number of river stations. We’ll continue to develop them further if they prove to be popular with the citizens,” the Moscow mayor said .

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Moscow welcomes 1,000th electric bus to the city

Moscow has demonstrated European and American leadership in the number of electric buses in the city: the capital of Russia, in fact, launched the 1,000th e-bus. This electric bus became the 400th vehicle purchased with Green Bond funds. The goal of the project is to show how such collaborations can help make the city greener, […]

Moscow has demonstrated European and American leadership in the number of electric buses in the city: the capital of Russia, in fact, launched the 1,000th e-bus .

This electric bus became the 400th vehicle purchased with Green Bond funds. The goal of the project is to show how such collaborations can help make the city greener , as well as to draw attention to environmental protection. Therefore, the design of the 1,000th electric bus is special, in an eco-friendly style.

Electric buses were launched in Moscow more than 3 years ago, in 2018. Meanwhile, this innovative surface transportation has proved its efficiency . It has been launched on 66 bus lines, covered 60 million kilometers and carried more than 150 million passengers. In addition, Moscow is actively developing its charging infrastructure . Today there are more than 168 charging facilities in the city. By the end of 2023, this number will increase to 500 stations.

Russian electric buses are very convenient and reliable. Each electric bus carries about 85 people. This transportation is also convenient for passengers with disabilities: electric buses are equipped with a low floor, ramps and storage areas. In addition, electric buses are equipped with gadget chargers on the handrails, climate control systems and multimedia screens. They also cope perfectly with extreme temperatures. For the fourth winter season in a row, the innovative transport worked without interruption. The temperature range of its work is from -40 to +40 degrees Celsius. The batteries are equipped with a temperature control system to prevent the vehicles from overheating in summer and freezing in winter.

In 2021, Moscow stopped buying diesel buses for the main surface public transport operator. Today, the city is focusing on green alternatives and keeping up with global electric vehicle market trends. Next year, Moscow plans to purchase 600 more electric vehicles. By the end of 2023, the city will have received more than 2,200 electric buses. Nearly 40% of the entire surface transportation fleet will be electric. Until 2030, the city’s entire transportation fleet will be green. To achieve the goal, the Moscow government will buy more than 500 electric buses per year and develop an innovative hydrogen bus model together with Kamaz and Rusnano.

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Moscow's 1,000th Electric Bus Hits The Streets

No more new diesels and 600 more bevs coming in 2022, towards a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2030..

We recently just saw the 900th electric bus in Moscow , but as it turns out, the Russian capital has just reached the milestone of 1,000 units!

Mosgortrans , the company that runs the bus and tram network in Moscow, announced that vehicle number 1,000, with green elements, has hit the streets.

"the design of the 1000th electric bus is special, in eco-style: the electric bus cabin is decorated with posters with the facts about electric buses and their impact on the eco-system."

It has taken about three years since the first battery-electric vehicles was introduced there in 2018 and now, they are entering the fourth winter "without interruptions."

Over that period, battery-electric buses transported over 150 million people, covered more than 60 million km (37 million miles) on 66 bus routes, and reduced the amount of emissions by 600 thousand tons, according to the company. There are currently more than 168 charging "structures" in the city (overhead fast charging points, as we understand).

Moscow is no longer buying regular diesel buses and plans to buy an additional 600 battery-electric ones in 2022 for a total of 1,600.

The target for the end of 2023 is more than 2,200 electric buses, which means an additional purchase of over 600 units. At this point, nearly 40% of the bus fleet should be electric. The fast chafast-chargingructure will expand to a total of up to 500 individual stalls.

By 2030, all buses will be battery-electric, or at least zero-emission , because there is also a project to develop a hydrogen bus model by Kamaz and RUSNANO.

According to the press statement by Maksim Liksutov, the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport, the electric buses are convenient and reliable - ready for service in a wide range of temperatures from -40°C to +40°C.

"Russian electric buses are very convenient and reliable. Each electric bus carries about 85 people. This transport is also convenient for passengers with disabilities: electric buses are provided with a low-floor, ramps, and accumulation areas.  Besides, electric buses are equipped with gadget chargers on the handrails, climate control systems and media screens. Moreover, they perfectly deal with temperature extremes. For the fourth consecutive winter season, the innovative transport has been operating without any interruptions. The temperature range of its work is from -40 to +40 degrees Celsius. Batteries are equipped with a temperature control system to prevent vehicles from overheating in summer and freezing in winter."

As far as we know, Moscow buses are powered by lithium titanate batteries (LTO), which provide relatively short range (the energy density is significantly below LFP), but can be fast-charged very quickly at the ends of the route and are ready for very low temperatures, as well as offer long longevity.

A few videos about electric buses in Moscow:

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• EDİSYON: TÜRKİYE
• Edition: Argentina