Electric boats

There’s no denying the appeal of gliding over the open water, wind in your hair, and the sun on your face. Boat ownership has long been a cherished dream for many, and with more options for small, affordable boats than ever, that dream is widely becoming a reality. But in recent years there has been an exciting shift in the market towards electric boats. The boating industry, like many other sectors, is undergoing an electric revolution. More and more people are choosing electric boats over their traditional gasoline-powered counterparts, and it’s not hard to see why.

Porsche is taking its EV drive tech beyond the roads (and land altogether) in a new partnership with renowned Australian yacht builder, Frauscher Shipyard. The premium German automaker is developing an electric sports boat that will be equipped with the upcoming Porsche Macan EVs drive tech. It’s expected to go on sale next year.

There’s something oddly endearing about miniature-sized vehicles that can still carry adults. It’s true with electric micro-cars, and apparently, it’s true with micro-boats as well. But don’t take my word for it. You can be the judge with this fun-looking mini electric jet boat!

Swedish electric boat maker X Shore has a new, lighter and more affordable model coming known as the X Shore 1. And with the help of Bosch, it’s going to be more efficient than ever.

The world’s first electric boat racing series has been teasing its forthcoming schedule for over a year, and it has finally arrived… although it’ll start a tad later than expected. The UIM E1 World Championship Series has unveiled its official race calendar, which will begin in Saudi Arabia and continue through several beautiful coastal cities in Europe.

Renowned luxury yacht maker, Sunreef, released plans for a new 108-ft (33-m) solar-powered electric superyacht complete with its own pool spa and indoor theater. Did I mention it’s also fully autonomous?

Swedish marine propulsion startup ZParq announced it has successfully completed a seed round led by cleantech investors, totaling 2.5 million euros ($2.68M). With the fresh funding, ZParq looks to bring its compact electric marine motors, powertrains, and other adjacent technologies to market to help decarbonize the segment.

This year’s Cannes Film Festival saw a unique debut quite a ways away from the silver screen and out on the docks of Southern France. During the event, BMW Group Designworks and boat builder Tyde unveiled a new all-electric boat concept called The Icon. This electric hydrofoil is powered by BMW battery packs and represents a collaboration for the future of sustainability in the marine segment. Did we mention two-time Oscar winner Han Zimmer is involved too?

BOTE is known for its wide array of inflatable watercraft like kayaks and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), as well as plenty of other inflatables from docks to beach furniture and even beach games. But now with the help of an electric motor system Bixpy, BOTE is making it easier than ever to turn a kayak or SUP into an electric boat.

Electric propulsion specialist Pure Watercraft has officially shared the final design of its Pure Pontoon Boat – the company’s first vessel designed in house. Powered by EV batteries provided by minority stakeholder GM, this first crack at an electric pontoon boat could appeal to many consumers interested in quiet cruises without emissions.

X Shore, a Swedish electric boat maker, has announced today the completion of an approximately SEK 300 million (US $30M) funding round as it sails toward expected profitability at some point in 2024.

Candela’s C-8 electric speedboat is famous for its hydrofoil design that lets it fly above the water’s surface. As the Swedish boatmaker aggressively expands its market around the world, the company has now announced a new variant that should prove even more popular in the US: the Candela C-8 Center Console.

As usual for entries in this Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column, the fun EVs we dredge up tend to bridge the gap between fun-looking and palm-sweat-inducing. Would you take a cheap inflatable electric jet ski out into the bay or off the coast? What if I told you that you had to build it yourself?

Kohala Blue, a boat tour operator in Kawaihae on the Big Island of Hawaii, has introduced what it calls the first renewable electric catamaran charter in Hawaii. The Dolce Vita is powered by an electric propulsion system that is charged by solar panels, wind turbines, and propeller regeneration.

Luxury electric boatbuilder ALVA Yachts is back with its latest solar electric catamaran. The upcoming OCEAN ECO 78 will arrive as a mid-size marine vessel in ALVA’s current lineup and comes equipped with the solar and electric propulsion technology to reach a top speed of 14-15 knots (16-17 mph) at sea, plus plenty of battery capacity to go far – all backed by solar panels on its roof.

Swedish electric boat maker Candela is flying high recently, and not just on its hydrofoils. The company has just announced a new $20M investment that will accelerate the rollout of its upcoming 30-passenger electric ferry, the Candela P-12 Shuttle.

German luxury boatbuilder Lürssen Yachts has shared video footage of it successfully launching a zero-emissions megayacht longer than two olympic swimming pools, suspected to be commissioned by a Japanese billionaire. The exterior of hydrogen powered megayacht, codenamed Project Cosmos, is being designed by Apple designer Marc Newson.

The Port of Singapore, one of the world’s busiest ports and the world’s largest container trans-shipment hub, will require all new harbor craft to be net zero by 2030.

The 2023 Miami Boat Show has officially come to a close after flooding Miami Beach with all things marine and marine adjacent the past five days. As my second consecutive year attending the show, I noticed a significantly larger footprint for electrification in the segment; I not only got an up-close look at many of the electric boats we cover but also got introduced to several up-and-coming companies, which you can learn more about below.

The Ilmor ION electric outboard motor, developed by Ilmor’s Advanced Technology Group, hopes to power the next generation of light electric watercraft from tenders to pontoon boats.

Veteran boatbuilder Chris-Craft kicked off this year’s Miami International Boat Show by unveiling its first-ever all-electric boat concept. The Launch 25 GTe is a fully-operational electric boat concept that will be used for testing as the company looks to refine a commercialized product for the marine market.