The 17th edition of the International Multihull Show is set to take place April 22-26. A record number of boats with electric and hybrid propulsion are taking part.

The show, at La Grande-Motte on France’s Mediterranean coast, demonstrates not just that multihulls have become one of the fastest-growing segments in global boating, but also how more and more boat builders and owners are embracing fossil-fuel-free (FFF) propulsion. In fact, 16 of the 80 exhibiting boats – 20% – are available with electric or hybrid as an option.

Multihulls partner especially well with electric and hybrid for a couple of reasons. The first is that two or three smaller hulls have less drag and are more efficient than monohulls, requiring less energy to move through water. The second is that the wider beams deliver larger surface areas for solar integration – with the bonus of more living space!

As the name suggests, there are no monohulls at the Show, only catamarans and trimarans – both sail and power – and of course other manufacturers and retailers associated with the boat industry such as motors and sailmakers.

The show is also the home of the annual Multihull of the Year Awards (MOTY). Both the show and awards are presented by the Multihulls World magazine and website.

In this Plugboats Guide to Electric Boats Exhibitors we highlight some of the boats available with electric and hybrid propulsion – including those that are Finalists in the MOTY Awards – as well as some exhibiting electric motor companies.

With those 16 exhibiting multihulls and 10 MOTY Finalists, this is by far the most ‘electrified’ version of the show. There are also five electric motor companies with booths at La Grande-Motte along with three electrified RIB tenders and one electric jetski.

Great sailing adventures begin with great boats. Aquila’s new sailing catamaran fleet—the 44, 50, and 63 Sail—delivers thoughtful design that maximizes space, functionality, cruising comfort, and quality. Every detail matters when you’re living aboard, from our innovative fixed bow for entertaining and relaxing, to your choice of diesel or whisper-quiet Hybrid Ocean Drive to match your cruising style.

Inside, panoramic windows frame nature’s theater while spacious salons and galleys become your command center. Choose from 4, 5, or 6 cabin configurations, each with private entrances that preserve personal sanctuary. Bridge-to-bow access allows quick and easy access from the flybridge to the foredeck cockpit, while generous interiors provide genuine comfort during extended passages.

Whether pursuing private ownership or charter opportunities, these catamarans offer the quality and cruising excellence Aquila is renowned for with innovations that elevate your sailing experience. Where will the wind take you?

At Cataruga, we believe in a different way of experiencing the sea. Our ambition: to put freedom, simplicity, and respect for life back at the heart of sailing.

Founded by Jean Sommereux, engineer and sailor, Cataruga was born from a dream: to create a catamaran that was robust, elegant and durable, designed not for raw performance, but for the pleasure of living on the water.

Switzerland / Tunisia

ELECTRIC / HYBRID INSTALLATIONS AND NAUTICAL PROPULSION SYSTEMS

We equip different types of boats: pleasure or racing sailboats, motorboats, charteryatchs, passenger boats, workboats, dinghies.

We design electric or hybrid motor solutions by choosing the best of the current technology in order to offer optimal navigation performances and comfort on board. We select our suppliers among the best brands.

Location: Grand Motte, France

EPTechnologies is a complete marine propulsion provider for electric and hybrid vessels. We guide the customers through the process of turning dreams into real hybrid and electric vessels with the use of the finest quality that makes economical sense.

With us you get all out of one hand, from our in-house lithium-ion batteries, DC-generators and sail /shaft or Z / Jet drives and it’s all controlled by our own truster control and EMS / PMS software systems.

Our years of experience, quality, innovation and durability is a guarantee for a stress-free drive / sailing experience. We stand by our service! You will be surprised of how cost-effective we are, as most parts are done in-house or via direct dealerships with production

We build your electric dream on water.

Location: Sønderborg, Denmark

Excess introduces at the Cannes Yachting Festival the first hybrid Excess 15 equipped with Torqeedo’s flagship Deep Blue Hybrid system. With such an innovative project managed through the “Excess Lab”, Excess is taking a distinctive first step within the catamaran market towards more sustainability.

Fischer Panda has manufactured electric and hybrid drive systems for houseboats, motor boats and yachts for more than 15 years now.

Electric drives from Fischer Panda are perfect for cruising on waters where conventional combustion engines are not permitted, both for monohull and multihull boats with one or two drives.

What we offer:

Germany

Fountaine Pajot is working on the deployment of electric motors for its sailing catamarans. This project should see the light of day in 2022 with the installation of electric motors on the Aura 51, the new 51-foot catamaran designed by Fountaine Pajot.

generationhybride.fr

Performance. Luxury. Carbon Construction.

Award Winning

Performance & Luxury

Design Excellence

Carbon Construction

With 27,000 boats delivered globally since the brand’s beginning in 2011, Highfield Boats is now the world’s number one in the RIB Tender sector and a global player in the 15 foot+ sector.

Read articles about Highfield Boats in Plugboats

See Highfield Boats with electric motors for sale in Plugboats Marketplace

April 22 – 26, 2026

La Grande Motte has clearly positioned itself as the global capital for multihulls, with the number of boats on display, the variety of brands and the full range on offer from the yards.

See electric boat exhibitors at International Multihull Show 2026 

SAIL INTO A DIFFERENT WIND

Elegance, Comfort, Sportiness. Three different souls for an innovative hull, conveyed by elegant and dynamic lines.

A work of high naval engineering, born from the vision to combine Italian elegance and attention to detail with the best and most advanced international technology. 14.99 is the first project created by ITACATAMARANS: a multihull of excellence, technologically sophisticated, safe and comfortable, redefining the world of catamarans.

Location: Italy

Discover a new way of navigating with Millikan Boats and the M.10 solar electric catamaran — designed for silent cruising, energy autonomy and exceptional onboard comfort.

Built and assembled in France by the Normandy-based shipyard Millikan Boats, the M.10 reflects a new vision of boating: clean, efficient and respectful of the marine environment.

Location: France

We have imagined a journey powered by clean, renewable energies, eliminating dependence on fossil fuels. It’s a virtuous voyage, effectively leaving no footprint on the living world.

The result of this vision is the MODX 70, a revolutionary 70-foot catamaran.

Momentum was founded in 2022 by a team of naval architects, engineers and designers with experience building everything from warships to UAVs and a lot in between. We share a passion for the marine environment and electric drivetrains. While we use cutting edge digital design, the true test of a product is out at sea, and that’s where you will find us most days, riding through storms, running into rocks, getting swamped by waves, dunking our batteries, to make sure our products can survive it all and take us safely home.

We are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible – so that you can have the best day out on the water, no emissions, no compromises.

We believe that luxury living and preserving the planet can and should go hand in hand. This is why we make exciting luxury sailing yachts that do not harm the planet.

Enjoy undisturbed peace, unrestricted sailing, and a carefree boating experience with the press of a button. VETUS intelligent and modular electric-propulsion systems are easy to install (or refit) and bring performance, efficiency, and convenience to your boating adventures. With VETUS electric propulsion, you are always ready for a prime time on the water. A full day of pure enjoyment is now within your reach.

High performance, eco-friendly, and cost-saving

Ready for the green zones

Find the ideal electric propulsion system for your boat

Netherlands

Due to its innovative catamarans, combining recycled and bio-sourced materials, electrics engines and green energies sources Windelo received the special mentioning “sustainability” from the European Yacht Of The Year 2022!

The Awards have six categories to honour multihull boats, both sail and power, that have been launched (meaning put in the water) between the 2025 and 2026 editions of the Miami International Boat Show. The Finalists are selected by Jury and then voted on by the public and readers of Multihulls World.

There are three categories for sailing multihulls: Under 45’, 45’ to 55’, Over 55’; and three categories for powered multihulls: Under 45’, 45’ to 60’, Over 60’. There is also an award for the best of those boats that are making their International Multihull Show premiere. The boats below are Finalists that are available with electric or hybrid propulsion.

Congratulations to these electric/hybrid yachts for winning their categories in the Multihull of the Year Awards:  Sail – 45′ to 55′ :  Leopard 52  •   Power – Over 60′: Silent Yachts SY80  •  International Multihull Show Premiere: Aquila 50 Sail

Fountaine Pajot FP 44 – ALSO EXHIBITING AT THE MULTIHULLS SHOW

Aquila 50 – ALSO EXHIBITING AT THE MULTIHULLS SHOW

Cataruga Tortue 147 – ALSO EXHIBITING AT THE MULTIHULLS SHOW

Island Spirit 525e

Leopard 52 – ALSO EXHIBITING AT THE MULTIHULLS SHOW

Max Cruise Marine 55SC

Millikan M.10 – ALSO EXHIBITING AT THE MULTIHULLS SHOW

Rapido 500 ECO Power Cat

Silent Yachts Silent 80

Read about the Silent Yachts 63 transatlantic crossing

XQuisite 60 Solar Power

The pure battery electric mode is mainly used for low speed occasions such as around harbours, as well as in open waters for speeds up to 8 knots (15 kph, 9 mph). When the battery is discharged to 30% level the generator automatically kicks in to recharge the battery and automatically shuts off when State of Charge (SOC) reaches 80%. That combination satisfies transoceanic speeds and needs, with the larger diesel engines used for things like island hopping where you might want speeds of up to 18 kts (33 kph, 20 mph). For speeds above 20 kts the generator of the diesel electric drive train becomes a motor to drive the shaft and propeller by itself, working alongside the high power diesel engines in what is called ‘Boost Mode’. XQuisite website

Aquila 50 – see write up in MOTY Awards section above

Cataruga Tortua 147 – see write up in MOTY Awards section above 

Earthling

Altogether there is 44 kWh of battery energy available, which can be charged on shore, by roof mounted solar panels or the generators. The genset automatically kicks in when DOD (battery depth of discharge) is at 20%. It burns 2.5 litres of diesel per hour.   Earthling website

Excess Catamarans

The Excess 11 is the company’s flagship model, known for combing the feel of a racing boat with the space and aesthetics of a cruising boat. Winner of numerous awards, it was designed by VPLP design, one of the most renowned naval architecture companies in the world, with exterior by Patrick le Quément and interiors by Nauta Design. Now, it is available with a hybrid propulsion system with genset and twin electric engines for quiet docking maneuvers, fully electric cruising and optimized range. The system includes lithium battery pack, BMS (Nattery Management System) and a charger / inverter. Excess Catamarans website

Fountaine Pajot 44 – see write up in MOTY Awards section above.

HH Catamarans – HH44

Itacatamarans

Leopard  52 – see write up in MOTY Awards section above

L’Atelier de Metal – The Metal Workshop

Millikan Boats M.10 – see write up in MOTY Awards section above

MODX 70

NYX 42CEP

Vaan  R5

Windelo

EPTechnologies

JOOOL

Momentum 

VETUS – New E-LINE 22kW Inboard

VETUS, one of the first companies to offer an electric inboard motor for leisure boats, has unveiled the new E-LINE 22 kW as the highest powered motor in an extended electric propulsion model range. That E-LINE range now includes a total of seven motors. Three air-cooled models: the E-LINE Air 7kW and E-LINE Air 5kW with 24 or 48V architecture; and four liquid cooled models: the E-LINE 6kW, 8kW, 11kW and new 22kW.

All motors in the E-LINE range have been designed for easy installation on almost any existing engine mounts or foundations.The supplied Swap & Go mounting brackets, with motor mounts specifically developed for electric propulsion motors, can easily be adjusted in height and set to angle the shaft to 0° or 8°. This makes repowering and connecting to an existing propeller shaft a simple task. You can read more about the E-LINE 22kW in this Plugboats article  Hall 10 / D40  VETUS Website

ASTenders: 3 models

PWRFoil

The post Plugboats Guide to Electric and Hybrid Propulsion exhibitors at 2026 International Multihull Show appeared first on Plugboats.

Tucked away among the superyachts of the 2026 Palm Beach Boat Show was the ENVGO NV1, a 26 foot electric hydrofoiling leisure boat that impressed with its speed, range and striking design.

Long before drones were making headlines in war zones, a group of engineers in the Canadian tech hub of Waterloo, just outside Toronto, was developing early UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that incorporate artificial intelligence, autonomous flight control and robotics.

The drones were designed for things like high danger industrial inspections and disaster zone assistance. They needed to have 100% reliability in every kind of weather and terrain condition. Operator training time couldn’t always be assured. So the drones had to be not just ‘smart’, but also easy and instinctive to use.

Those are exactly the kinds of technologies and attributes needed for a high performance electric hydrofoiling leisure boat and the migration of that pioneering drone work to the new ENVGO NV-1 is one of the things that go into making the boat’s debut so impressive.

The six co-founders of ENVGO all worked together developing that UAV technology at Aeryon Labs, which was sold in 2019 for about $200M. For techie types out there, it is the system behind the Teledyne FLIR SkyRanger R70.

Mike Peasgood, co-founder of Aeryon and now CEO of ENVGO, grew up sailing, windsurfing and fishing and just loved being out on the water. He also loved fast, high performance automobiles, but not their combustion engines.

When electric cars came along he was excited to see them bring instant torque, super low maintenance and ease of use to drivers and – like many others now in the electric boat world – he kept looking for the boat that would offer those same features and benefits.

After the drone company was sold, he had time to seriously think about how to solve the problem of getting a clean tech solution on the water. He suggested to some of the core Aeryon team that the marine space might be a good area for applying their talents and experience to develop the next new and exciting thing.

While none of them were really ‘boat people’, they were engineers and problem solvers who, as Mike says “like a challenge and like building really cool technology that doesn’t exist in the world. This was a really cool challenge, and the other huge driver was the idea of creating a better future where we could bring a clean tech solution to the industry, help clean up our lakes and rivers.”

Taking the classic engineering approach, the first step was analyzing whether there was an opportunity to build a technology solution that solves a real problem. The real problem is the physics that face all electric marine propulsion: it takes about 10 times as much power to push a boat through water as it does to push a car through air. For slower boats that is not necessarily an issue, but for high performance boats it is a significant challenge.

An obvious solution – especially if you come from the world of making things fly – is to take the hull out of the water and have it travel through the air. That’s hydrofoiling. And it uses about a quarter the energy of a traditional boat. The assignment was perfect for the drone engineers. As Mike says, “It’s not a marine design challenge. It’s an aerospace design challenge. It was right in their sweet spot.”

The team started by building a small proof of concept boat, about the same size as their UAVs – one metre (three feet) long. They were looking at adapting the Aeryon technology and figuring out the differences between being in the water versus being in the air. Next came a 3.6m (12 ft) single person hydrofoiler, which is when their drone technology started to come to the fore, ready for modification.

A hydrofoiling boat is similar to a quadrotor (four propeller) drone like the ones Aeryon developed. They both have a strong tendency to flip upside down if left to their own devices.

Mike explained to me that traditional small planes are actually quite stable. If you let go of the controls that determine the pitch (front to back level) and roll (side to side level), they will still basically stay on course and you only have to control the altitude.

“But with a quadrotor drone – or hydrogoiling boat – you need a real time flight controller in there, a piece of hardware that is measuring the roll and pitch of the vehicle all the time, and updating the controls really, really quickly.” Like 250 times a second quickly.

That, in turn, requires sensors. There’s a unit inside the boat that works in conjunction with accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors that are identifying how quickly things are rolling and pitching in the orientation of the boat.

Outside the boat, radar sensors measure the height of the hull above the surface while sonar sensors measure the depth of the water underneath. Then there is a GPS sensor so the system knows where the boat is in the world and how fast it’s going.

Read: Australia gets electric hydrofoiling ferries

All of this information is fed to the flight controller, which then sends out the commands to the hydrofoiling apparatus. That consists of one foil under the hull across the beam of the boat, about halfway between midship and the transom. Two vertical struts raise and lower that foil and also have propulsion motors of about 110 kW each (≈ 150 hp, 220 kW / 300 hp in total). Under the bow there is a much smaller foil with no propulsion.

The foils have ‘elevators’, just as an airplane wing does, flaps that are moved up and down to control the height of the boat (pitch). Ailerons at the tips of the rear foil adjust to control the roll.

At the same time ENVGO was building their prototypes, they were also evaluating another important part of success – the market opportunity – what other players there are, what they are building and who they are building it for.

There are only a handful of major electric hydrofoiling companies: Artemis (UK), Candela (Sweden), MobyFly (Switzerland), Navier (USA) and Vessev (New Zealand). While most have boats available for the recreational / leisure user, they are all more focused – to varying degrees – on the commercial ferry, watertaxi and work boat markets.

True to Mike Peasgood’s original thoughts, ENVGO had always seen itself as building high performance boats for individual owners and they decided that sticking to that vision was the best route forward.

They knew they had an amazing engineering team, but they also knew that they needed equally talented people in the worlds of naval architecture and boat design to build something really beautiful and as fast and efficient as they knew it could be.

They found the first piece of the puzzle just an hour and a half drive away, in Midland, Ontario. Steve Killing is a Canadian yacht designer and naval architect who started with C&C Yachts in 1973 and has a few  championship C-Class sailboat hydrofoil designs to his credit. In 2013, when New Zealand’s America’s Cup team decided to be the first to launch a foiling AC72 and fly with both hulls clear of the water, they called on Steve to help with hull development and other design elements. So did ENVGO.

Killing brought his experience to the bottom of the NV1 hull, and for the top and aesthetics he connected ENVGO with J. David Weiss of Designova. Weiss has designed more than 50 vessels worldwide, of every size and description, and has been cited as a leading Industry Disruptor in the Future Yachts book from BOAT International.

The NV-1 at Palm Beach showcased Weiss’ vision of a futuristic silhouette that is also vaguely retro, with curves and a body contour that evokes an overall vibe of space travel, even while sitting at the dock. The interior has room for six while also accommodating the retracting struts of the rear foil in bulkheads behind the passenger seats. Like a performance car, it is all built and designed for the driving experience.

I had the chance to go out on the NV1 a couple of months before the Palm Beach Show. I was there with other members of the boating and general media, almost none of whom had ever been on an electric boat – let alone one that also flies on hydrofoils.

As always, everyone is struck by how an electric boat moves away from the dock without any noise whatsoever. The surprise was even more pronounced because the shape and feel of the NV1 implies the kind of big power and speed that people equate with big noise.

At slower speeds the NV1 behaves just like any boat of similar size. Then, at about 20 knots (37 kph / 23 mph), the hull begins to rise, almost imperceptibly at first, a bit like when an airplane first takes off.

It takes a couple of seconds, but you then realize that you are in the air. Even though you are travelling at significant speed, it feels more like you’re floating than flying. We were out on a fairly calm day, but there were still waves, and there is a bit of a disconnect because you can see them underneath you but the boat is unaffected. The ride is rock solid.

It is literally like no other boat you have ever been on. In terms of piloting the boat, ENVGO’s flight controller technology does all of the work. It does not require much more adjustment than if you are driving a traditional boat that is new to you.

For those who wonder what happens if the foils hit an underwater object, they are built to handle small underwater debris without issue, and are designed to shear off at a specific point in the case of a collision with a larger object like a rock or log.

Charging can be done dockside with Level 1 (Level 2 if available). The NV1 is Level 3 compatible and the foils fully retract for trailering (also for docking and shallow water).

The goal that the ENVGO team set for themselves was to bring the advantages of electric propulsion to high performance leisure boating. With a top speed of 43 kts (80 kph / 50 mph), and range of up to 100 km (62 mi/ 54 Nm), you would have to say that the NV1 has measured up to that yardstick.

Mike says the NV1 is getting a ton of positive feedback. “I think it’s the exciting new technological capability being combined with something that is also a beautiful piece of artwork that you would love to be seen in or have at your dock. That intersection is pretty special.”

Sea trials and build slots are now available for the NV1 Founders Edition and can be booked on the ENVGO website.

ENVGO website  Steve Killing Yacht Design website   Designova website 

The post ENVGO NV1- from drone to high performance electric hydrofoiling leisure boat appeared first on Plugboats.

Network operator Aqua superPower and EV charger manufacturer Hellonext have announced a strategic and synergistic alliance that will accelerate the growth of high speed electric boat charging throughout Europe and beyond.

Aqua superPower already manages the operations of 50+ high speed DC chargers in Sweden, France, Portugal, Spain, Monaco Italy, the UK and US. That includes charging corridors along the Mediterranean’s French/Italian Riviera and England’s South Coast.

Hellonext, internationally recognized for its advanced DC technology, manufactures a range of 10 commercial and residential EV chargers and battery energy storage systems. It has multiple DC marine installations already operating in Spain.

The partnership combines Hellonext’s best-in-class charging hardware with Aqua superPower’s fully integrated digital operating ecosystem designed specifically for marine use. It also reflects the companies’ shared enthusiasm for and commitment to accelerating a European and global transition to electric marine transportation.

The world of electric charging – both for land and water transport – is a bit of an alphabet soup of initials that needs some explanation, so bear with me.

What we call a charger, or a charging station, is known in the industry as a Charge Point, so the company that operates a charge point (or a bunch of them) is called a CPO – Charge Point Operator.

Each charge point requires a system to manage the energy going in an out, which involves the handling of both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electricity in various voltages, from low to extremely high. That system is called the Charge Point Management System (CPMS).

Most people don’t use the same charge point all the time for their EVehicle or EBoat, so they usually rely on the services of a company that makes things more convenient and streamlined, particularly for payment and reporting on things like how much electricity was transferred at what time. The company that enables and manages those kinds of interactions is called an eMobility Service Provider – EMSP.

In the background, the EMSP coordinates with the CPMS (which coordinates with the CPO), your credit card company and maybe other things – like your vehicle or boat – using a Subscriber Identification Module – SIM, like the SIM card on your phone. That assures that every part of the system knows it is you that is using the services. Part of what the EMSP has to do, of course, is make sure that everything can be connected wirelessly and securely from places like marinas and ports. In some cases it may even monitor the state of charge in your electric boat while it’s out on the water.

Aqua superPower is a combination of all those things: CPO, CPMS and EMSP. In fact, being all of those things is what makes them attractive to places like marinas and ports. The marina or port only needs to be a location for the charge point. Aqua oversees the installation and coordination with the charge point manufacturer, electric grid and utilities, then manages all of the electricity interactions along with the payment to the utilities and collecting the payment from the end user. Aqua also manages all repairs and maintenance. The marina or port (which does not want to be concerned with any of that!) simply gets a percentage of the revenue.

The only thing Aqua doesn’t do is manufacturer the actual charge points, which is where Hellonext comes in. Hellonext has already proven in Spain that they can design and build the hardware necessary to charge things that move on the water. And Aqua’s international network, with charge points from other manufacturers located everywhere from bustling seaports to remote lakeside marinas, has proven that their system can manage the rest, with its global network consistently achieving over 98% uptime.

Going forward, Hellonext’s advanced AC and DC charging systems will be seamlessly integrated into Aqua superPower’s backend platform. Aqua will manage end-to-end operations, including remote monitoring, dynamic load balancing, billing, roaming, maintenance coordination, and 24/7 customer support.

 

One other benefit Aqua superPower brings to the party is the other end of the wire – the hardware and software that goes in the boats themselves. Connectors and systems for electric boats are all compatible with every level of standard EV charging, but there are things that need to be addressed to optimize them and make them safe and trouble-free for marine use. Aqua is already working with and trusted by dozens of electric boat and motor manufacturers as well as combustion boat manufacturers looking at electric possibilities.

Hellonext, for their part, is a division of the Petrotec group, which started 40 years ago building fossil fuel filling stations and has more than 200,000 installations operating in 100+ countries. No matter what you may think of fossil fuels, that depth of experience and breadth of distribution is important for success of the world’s overall transition to electric energy.

Getting distribution and critical mass of charge points is essential to growing electric boating, just as it was in the beginning years of EVs (and still is in some countries). The collaboration and combination of Aqua superPower and Hellonext’s experiences and resources can immediately ‘jump start’ that infrastructure-building process by making it even easier and simpler for waterside destinations to go electric.

Aqua superPower website  Hellonext website

The post High speed electric boat charging set to expand with partnership of experts appeared first on Plugboats.

Plugboats WAVES (Watts, Amps, Volts, Electrons) is a regular collection of electric boat and boating news items that we have written about before and are updating, or items we are going to write about but are waiting for more information / developments – or items that are just tidbits you might find interesting.

Here is WaVeS #29, with electric boat and boating news about:

Check out all of the WaVeS e-boat news collections

Princeton University’s Princeton Electric Speedboating team (PES) has completed a series of tests of their latest cutting-edge electric hydroplaning boat – the Eagle 1 – at Mercury Racing’s storied high-performance marine proving waters, Florida’s Lake X.

In October of 2024 PES set the certified world electric speed record of 114.20 miles per hour (184.79 kph, 99.24 knots) and they are hoping that the expertise and experience of Mercury Racing can help them set a new one with Eagle 1.

Mercury has been crucial to fossil fuel powerboat racing for decades, and also works with both the E1 Series and new Formula 60 electric speedboat racing championships. For the Princeton team, testing at Lake X provides a controlled environment with a mountain of historical data along with on-site safety, rescue and technical support.

Read: New Formula 60 electric speedboat racing circuit

Eagle 1, the 16.5 foot (5 m) all-electric hydroplane has been designed and built by PES in conjunction with JW Myers from Black Sheep Racing. Carbon fibre decks span the entirety of the 7.5 foot wide (2.1m) vessel. The powertrain is designed to reach over 220 kW (300 hp) of power and has two battery modules, each rated at 356.4 V nominal (388.8 V maximum).

Evan Callas, President of Princeton Electric Speedboating said “The experience at Lake X gave us a rare opportunity to validate our electric propulsion system in a world-class environment while pushing performance limits.”

The goal for gauging the boat’s capabilities is sustained speeds above 145 mph (235 kph / 126 kts) for up to one minute, although the official 1 kilometre run should only take about 20 seconds. The test session at Lake X, with pilot John Peeters at the helm, successfully represented the vessel’s first operations at these target speeds. The team is aiming to go for a new record later this year.

Princeton PES website

Electric trimarans receive classification to grow sustainable Arctic tourism opportunities

For the past six years Brim Explorer’s electric and hybrid catamarans have provided silent, sustainable cruises on some of Norway’s most beautiful and environmentally delicate fjords.

A popular tourist attraction that is among the World’s Top 50 Travel Adventures, the cruises have also been testing grounds for a next generation of electric trimarans purpose-built for conditions in both the fjords and Arctic open seas.

The vessels have been developed by Brim Tech, the technology arm of Brim Explorer, and incorporate lightweight structures and a highly optimized hull developed by WIND Naval Architects to minimize energy consumption. Each vessel can accommodate up to 180 passengers. A single charge is expected to provide a range of approximately 100 nautical miles at 20 knots. (185 km at 37 kph / 115 mi at 23 mph).

The new ships have been given the blessing of classification society Bureau Veritas, important for large vessels because it certifies that new technologies are integrated safely and reliably. It matters for things like insurance and therefore investment and acceptance by government agencies and large tourism and travel companies. It also adds verifiable credibility to large scale electric and hybrid propulsion as a whole.

David Barrow, SVP for Western Europe and Americas at BV, said the project highlights the growing momentum behind electric propulsion in maritime transport. “Bureau Veritas is delighted to partner in bringing these advanced trimarans to life and supporting the safe integration of advanced technologies for sustainable maritime solutions. ”

Espen Larsen-Hakkebo, CTO & Co-founder of Brim Explorer, said: “The new trimarans represent the next step in our ‘electric by design’ approach. After six years of operating our boats in tough conditions in Northern Norway and Oslo, we are now able to confidently and excitedly develop a new generation of high-speed, long-range, zero-emission boats.”

Brim Explorer

Entries are open for the second Polyboat Challenge (PBC), launched in 2024 by Kevin Desmond, a passionate advocate for electric boats and author of ‘Electric Boats and Ships: A History’.

The PBC invites electric boatbuilders, boat owners, and boat rental companies to have fun and help the environment by taking electric boats on as many different types of community cruises as they can from April 2026 to March 2027.

There are suggested cruise types on the Challenge’s website and they include on-water occasions and events like Gourmet Cruises, Educational trips, Plastic Fishing (plishing) to protect waters, Wildlife excursions, History trips and Costume Cruises.

The first PCB was won by Dolphin Eco Recreation of India, known as the ‘makers of the most colourful electric boats in the world’. Their fleet of boats has been used for everything from marriages to pilgrimages to political campaigns, dinner cruises and more. Mr Ataluya Bajaj of Dolphin says their mission is simple: “To bring the pleasure of electric boating to the common man.”

To find out how you can participate in the 2026/27 Polyboat Challenge, Mr. Desmond invites you visit the PBC website through the link below.

Polyboat Global

Electric hydrofoil builder Candela is using its largest funding round to date to finance a second manufacturing facility and scale production of its groundbreaking P-12 ferries. Growing global demand is becoming more pressing as concerns mount about the dependability and costs of fossil fuel distribution.

The private-sector arm of the World Bank Group – the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – contributed €8 million to the round, with all existing Candela shareholders — EQT Ventures, SEB Private Equity, KanDela AB, and Ocean Zero LLC – participating in the other balance. Candela has now raised €129 Million since its inception ($145M), making it the world’s best-funded electric vessel manufacturer.

The Candela P-12 has proven successful in Stockholm’s public transport, significantly reducing travel times and operating costs. Hydrofoiling ‘flying’ ferries use as little as 1/5 of the energy of water-bound vessels (no matter what fuel is used) and electric propulsion only adds to the financial and environmental benefits.

With Candela’s serial production now up and running and first customer deliveries starting this month, more than 65 vessels are currently on order. Deployments are slated for the Maldives, Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, Thailand and Mumbai, India —where a fleet of ten P-12s will cut airport-to-city-centre travel time from around two hours to 35 minutes.

“From a physics perspective, we’re redefining waterborne transport by effectively creating a new category of vessel,” says Gustav Hasselskog, Candela founder and CEO. “From a business perspective,” he continues, “we’ve built a platform with industry-leading operating costs that serves multiple markets and frees operators from the financial trap of fossil-fuel ships. Graduating from small-series to large-series production allows us to deliver an even more attractive price point for our technologically advanced carbon-fibre vessels. They win on cost and performance, and that’s why investors are backing Candela. I’m truly grateful for that trust.”

Candela

With the help of Will Smith, owner of one of the E1 electric speedboat racing teams, the Series has announced that Angola will host a round of the UIM E1 World Championship on September 12 and 13, marking another important milestone in the sport’s international growth. Smith, owner of the Visit Angola Westbrook Racing team, announced the news in Luanda, saying “Africa has always embodied passion and relentless drive. This September, the world will be watching and I’m excited to be part of it!”

The Angola event will be E1’s second race location on the African continent and fills the final spot in the 2026 schedule. The season started in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on January 26 with other races slated for Lake Como (Italy), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Monaco, Lagos (Nigeria) Miami (USA) and Bahamas.

Luanda is one of Africa’s most important maritime gateways and has a rich marine history. The city will work with E1 to highlight its sustainability efforts, driven in part by major investments in hydroelectric power, and will reinforce Africa’s growing role in the evolution of electric racing on water.

Alejandro Agag, Founder and Chairman of E1 (and the Formula E electric car racing circuit) said “E1’s mission is to race in locations embodying innovation, environmental ambition and a deep connection to the water. Luanda and Angola deliver on all three, and we couldn’t be more excited to race here.”

The E1 Series features teams owned by celebrities that include Smith, DJ Steve Aoki and multi-Grammy winner Marc Anthony from the world of entertainment; sport figures Tom Brady (American football) Didier Drogba (football) James LeBron (basketball) Virat Kohli (cricket) and tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

Each team is made up of a female and male pilot who race the one-design ‘Racebird’ hydrofoiling speedboats powered with 120 kW outboards by Mercury Racing that can hit speeds of 55 knots.

E1 Series website  

One of the highlights of the recent Nice Boating Tomorrow show was the announcement and presentation of the annual trophies from the French Association for Electric Boats (AFBE). A jury of professionals – including boating journalists, designers, boat builders and event sponsor Banque Populaire Méditerranée – awarded four prizes, while an online public vote determined the “People’s Choice” award.

First prize was awarded to BlueNav for its patented virtual anchor technology. The system relies on the use of electric motors to maintain the boat’s position, limiting the need for physical anchoring and reducing impact on the seabed and marine life.

See the Plugboats Guide to Electric Exhibitors at Nice Boating Tomorrow

Second place was awarded to Millikan Boats for its Millikan M.10 electro-solar catamaran, which was also a winner of the 2025 Gustave Trouvé International Electric Boat Awards. SeaZen took third place with another boat served by renewable energy, the SRE 23 solar boat, designed for slow and silent recreational use.

The jury awarded a special prize to Weenav for its Kronos 300 outboard electric motor and the public’s “People’s Choice” award was given to E-NAV. The company was recognized for integrating electric propulsion on a JPK 39 racing sailboat that is currently participating in a transatlantic race, demonstrating the reliability of these solutions in real-world conditions.

The awarding of the trophies was the first official duty of the association’s new President, Michel Nave, proprietor of electric propulsion integrator E-NAV Systems. He succeeds Yannick Willeveau of boat yard NaviWatt, who will continue to serve on the board of directors. Also on the Board are Alexandre Seux of electric outboard developer and manufacturer TEMO, Gildas Olivier of SWITCH electric propulsion solutions, Antoine Herteman of EVA electric mobility, Xavier de Montgros of ODC Marine and Philippe Chadeyron of renewable energy utility EDF (Électricité de France).

AFBE website  BlueNav website  Millikan Boats website  SeaZen website  Weenav website  E-NAV website   

Over the past 12 years the Asia Yacht Expo in Guangdong, China, has built a leading and influential event for Asian yacht and water-based industries. Now a new segment—the Asia Marine Electric and Hybrid Power Technology and Equipment Expo—is being launched as part of the 2026 edition to focus on “electrification, hybridization, and intelligent green boating and shipping”.

The new event is being co-hosted with the International Electric Maritime Association (IEMA). Together. the organizations are assembling examples of cutting-edge achievements from around the world to build the first planks of a platform for technical exchange, standard sharing, market matching, and green upgrading.

There is enormous potential for growth of electric and hybrid propulsion in China, especially with the country’s national strategy of building a strong maritime sector and “Dual Carbon Initiative” to reach peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

On top of that, the Guangdong Province government has issued an action plan for “Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Yacht Industry in Guangdong” that sets clear goals of building a complete industrial chain and pushing the industrial impact for the sector to exceed 100 billion RMB ($15B, €12.5B).

The expos will leverage the industrial cluster advantages and global resource network of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area which has a 4,000 kilometer (2,500 mile) coastline and permanent population of 127 million, with about 35% of households (about 40 million people) considered ‘middle-class’.

All of this sets up China and Guangdong for a rapid growth stage in boating. In 2024, the number of registered yachts in all of China was only 45,000 – less than half of one per cent of the US. Guangdong itself has only about 2,200 registered yachts. With China being the world leader in battery production it would appear to be an understatement to say that the market for electric boating in the country holds enormous potential.

The Asia Yacht Expo and the Asia Marine Power Expo will take place in Guangzhou May 15 to 17.

Asia Marine Expo  IEMA website

The post WaVeS #29: Electric boat and boating news March 31, 2026 appeared first on Plugboats.

Two global leaders in their fields – McConaghy Yachts and ZeroJet – have come together to launch a new company and new electric jet tender with some game-changing features.

McConaghy, founded in 1969, has built many legendary, breakthrough boats over the years that include foiling monohulls, international regatta-winners and show-stopping superyachts. ZeroJet started life in 2014 developing an e-motor for powered surfboards. In 2019 they became one of the first companies in the world to develop electric jet propulsion for boats.

A new corporate entity – MC-ZERO – fuses the names, expertise and DNA of the two companies and will launch its first model – the MC-ZERO 450 electric jet tender – at the Palm Beach International Boat Show on March 25.

Chris Baird, CEO of MC-ZERO, says the engineers and designers started with a totally clean sheet and free rein to throw out the compromises that have had to be built-in to many fossil fuel tenders. That allowed them to create, in Baird’s words, “a boat that adapts to the user, rather than the other way around,” and one that maximizes space with smart functionality.

A quick glance at the MC-ZERO 450 leads to the impression that it is a RIB – Rigid Inflatable Boat, but closer inspection reveals that it is actually a carbon hull. The rigid carbon construction has straight inside walls and an integrated outer fender system so that the contour of inflatable pontoons doesn’t take away valuable interior space.

The company says the result is “a structurally superior vessel that is lighter, stronger, and maintains its premium finish throughout its lifetime —no inflation or maintenance required”. Those straight walls also allow for flip seats along the sides of the interior.

The next obvious thing that sets the new electric jet tender apart is a world-first (and patent pending) ‘moveable helm’ that can be fixed in one of three positions: aft, mid or foredeck. That makes for a modular-type design with huge flexibility.

You can slide the helm forward and flip up the seats to clear the deck for a kayak, boards, skis or dive gear, or move it back and flip down the seats to create a social, open-plan for up to eight passengers.

When you combine those features with the fact that the electric jet propulsion system is entirely below deck and there are no outboard motors or engine boxes, the overall space savings are big. MC-ZERO says internal volume for the 4.55 metre / ≈ 15 ft boat is 40% greater than on similar-sized traditional RIBs.

It also allows for a complete flow-through layout, and MC-ZERO have added a couple of nice touches. At the bow, unfolding electric drop-down steps make getting in and out easier when landing on a beach or in shallow waters. At the stern, there is a transom platform that extends the deck for a wider, more stable surface at water level. Both are deployed with the touch of a button.

As for the electric jet propulsion itself, ZeroJet is a company that has taken the lead in this segment of electric propulsion. They offer three motor systems of varying power and battery capacity: 15 kW (≈ 20 hp), 22 kW (≈ 30 hp) and 30 kW (≈ 40 hp). The systems are already integrated into a number of boats from builders that include Highfield, AB Inflatables, Agilis, and others.

Similar content: Williams electrifies EvoJet 70 

The MC-450 has two of the  30 kW motors and total battery capacity of just over 32 kiloWatt hours, enabling a top speed of 25 knots (46 kph / 29 mph) and a range of 27 nautical miles (50 km / 30 mi) when cruising at 5 knots (9 kph / 6 mph).

Those specs make the boat suitable for just about anything a tender is asked to do: quickly transfer guests to and from shore, slowly explore shallow waters, get out to deep waters and  anchor as a dive boat, or anything in between.

The near silent operation and zero emissions of electric propulsion is another bonus, appreciated not just by those in the boat, but also fish and other aquatic creatures nearby. The twin jets allow for navigation in the shallowest of waters and precise low-speed manoeuvring in tight spaces.

The 48V semi solid state batteries from SAFIERY are a significant feature of the MC-ZERO system and offer significant benefits. Compared to standard li-ion chemistries, semi solid state is less prone to safety problems and can store more energy by weight. The battery pack has a 5 year warranty and expected life of 10,000+ charge and discharge cycles.

In addition, the 48 volt architecture is ‘safe-to-touch’, meaning anyone working on the boat does not require any special high voltage training or specialized equipment. It also reduces any electrical risks for those on the boat.

While it is always possible to design a more spacious tender, the realities of inflatable pontoons and fossil fuel motors sometimes place a ceiling on what can be accomplished. The MC-450 is a great example of how – for some applications – electric propulsion can not only make for a cleaner, quieter ride, but also allow for greater design flexibility.

Well done, McConaghy and ZeroJet, for a tender that responds to customer desire and use cases –demonstrating how electric propulsion can add to overall boating enjoyment in more ways than one.

The company is also working on a smaller MC-ZERO 325 model that should be released soon. Subscribe to the Plugboats newsletter (below) to keep in the know.

MC-ZERO Tenders website   ZeroJet website

The post New electric jet tender delivers more space, amazing versatility appeared first on Plugboats.

Electric hydrofoiling ferries will soon be arriving ‘down under’ as New Zealand builder Vessev and local expert Enautic partner to bring a new kind of water transport to Perth, the continent’s fourth largest city.

Several Vessev VS–9 vessels have been reserved and will operate premium tourism experiences like wine cruises, twilight sailings and private charters. The plan is to expand to commuter route service in the future.

Vessev was founded in 2018 by Max Olson and Eric Laakmann, a former engineering program leader at Apple. Last year their flying ferries made their debut as the first certified electric hydrofoiling vessel to enter the fleet of a commercial operator (as opposed to publicly-owned municipal transport authority).

Two VS-9s are operated by New Zealand’s largest ferry transport and tourism operator, Fullers360. They each carry up to 10 passengers around Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour, providing panoramic views of the city, the Harbour Bridge and islands of the Huaraki Gulf. Vessev says the two units have logged close to 10,000 Nautical miles (18,500 km / 11,500 mi).

Hydrofoiling is a technology that uses foils – basically underwater airplane wings – that lift the boat out of the water, eliminating the water resistance of the hull. That means much less energy is required to move the boat, and there is almost no wake.

Energy usage can be reduced by as much as 85%, which is great for improving both the finances of the flying ferry operator and electric boat range – up to  50 nautical miles (92 km / 57 mi) in the case of the VS-9. The no-wake aspect is important for two reasons. In Auckland the main benefit is that the flying ferry can operate in sensitive waters without disturbing the ecosystem. In Perth the main benefit is that the VS-9 can go faster in restricted areas.

Where other large commercial ferries are typically limited to speeds of 5–8 knots ( 9-15 kph / 6-9 mph) along much of the Swan, the wake-free VS–9 can cruise at 25 knots (46 kph / 29 mph). This enables dramatically faster travel times and opens the door to a new model of water-based commuter and tourism transport.

Enautic, the Perth-based Australian company working with Vessev, started out as Electri.nautic in 2019, working with the University of Western Australia to develop the world’s first hydrofoiling jetski, the WaveFlyer.

Read about the beginnings of Enautic


In 2025 they expanded their horizons. In addition to producing and developing other small hydrofoilers – the RIB 310, Volaré and ROGUE – Enautic also works with companies like Vessev to promote electric propulsion and electric hydrofoiling in particular. One division, Little Ferry, operates a solar ferry in Perth and another, Aqua Flights, rents e-foiling boards on the Swan River. The Vessev arrangement is with Aqua Flights.

The project is being led by aerospace engineer and entrepreneur Josh Portlock, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Enautic Group.  Portlock says electric hydrofoiling represented a major opportunity to rethink how cities use their waterways.

“Hydrofoiling is what makes electric water transport genuinely viable. It delivers the speed, range and sustainability you need without compromise,” Portlock says. “The VS–9 is exactly the type of vessel that makes this model possible.”

Vessev is not alone. Swedish electric hydrofoiling developer Candela was the first company to have an operating vessel, which services a commuter route in Stockholm. MobyFly of Switzerland has had successful tests on Lake Geneva and the UK’s Artemis Technologies has delivered a 24 passenger ferry to Brittany Ferries in Belfast.

About Perth, Portlock says “Starting with premium tourism allows people to experience the technology first-hand while laying the groundwork for a future where electric hydrofoiling becomes one of the fastest and most sustainable ways to move around the city.”

Eric Laakmann of Vessev said the Australian announcement reflected growing global momentum for electric hydrofoiling. “We’re seeing cities around the world rediscovering their waterways because of what electric hydrofoiling unlocks. Australia is a natural fit, and businesses like the Enautic Group are leading that shift.”

The first vessels are expected to be delivered in early 2027. Vessev is working collaboratively with applicable classification societies and local regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with all local requirements for this innovative vessel type.

Vessev website  Enautic website

The post Australia latest country to get electric flying ferries appeared first on Plugboats.

An electric boat speed record set last September has now set the stage for a whole new speedboat racing series, the Formula 60 Electric Speedboat Championship. Together with the global E1 Championships launched in 2024, these competitions demonstrate the ever-rising interest in electric boat propulsion.

Last year German electric boat motor manufacturer Molabo began working with three partners –  boatbuilder Kaiser Bootsmanufaktur, Team Tech-ouT E-Racing and green mobility expert Protenergies, to retrofit Molabo’s 50 kW ARIES 48 V drive system into a combustion-powered Formula-4 (F4) boat.

The F4 boats are 3.9 m (≈ 13 ft) ‘tunnel catamarans’ with a wing or aerofoil built-in to their design. The class is very popular across Western Europe, the U.K, and Middle East. In the internal combustion version they can be powered by the four-stroke 60 EFI Racing or 60 APX, both 60 horsepower outboards and both from Mercury Racing.

The Molabo ARIES is rated at approximately 80 hp and the boat established an electric F4 world speed record of 91.5 kph (55 mph) on a one kilometre course. The speeds were clocked and verified by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the global governing body of powerboat racing.

“The acceleration is noticeably stronger than combustion engines” said Mael Touchet, who piloted the boat for Team Tech-ouT E-Racing, “and from the cockpit, you feel other big differences: it’s much quieter, and vibrations are greatly reduced,” 

The remarkable thing about the motor is not the torque and smooth operation – which all electric motors deliver – but that this kind of power is achieved using only 48 Volts. It is Molabo’s ISCAD patented technology motor that makes it possible, and makes it  the only electric outboard able to produce 50kW of power at safe-to-touch voltage.

For recreational and commercial boat owners, that safe-to-touch 48 volts means that installation and maintenance of Molabo drives – outboard, inboard or hybrid – does not require specially trained or certified technicians. That in turn reduces installation and other costs.

“Low-voltage systems are especially important in racing” says Philippe Touchet of Team Tech-ouT E-Racing. “Non-certified users can work on the boat and for UIM safety requirements, if a boat flips and the cockpit floods, both driver and rescue divers remain safe from high-voltage risks. That’s an important factor in making electric racing safer and more accessible for more teams.”

Read Plugboats coverage of the international E1 electric speedboat series

The record-setting run was a decisive proof of concept. Jean-Jacques Bucher, President of the Yacht Moteur Club de France, said at the time “This isn’t just about today’s run, it’s also about making an important step toward electrifying the speedboat racing world”.

Now the mission is becoming a reality. The Formula 60 Electric Speedboat Championship will debut under the auspices of the French Powerboat Federation (FFM) with four confirmed race weekends scheduled in France this summer:

The initiative has been developed in alignment with key industry stakeholders, including the UIM and Mercury Racing, both of whom also partner with the E1 Series. International expansion of Formula 60 under the UIM framework is planned for the 2027 race season.

Molabo and Protenergies are ready to provide Molabo’s ARIES system – including a new lightweight, swappable battery pack – to any F4 team looking to convert their motors to electric. The companies are also inviting others to join the F-60 Championships as Founding Teams who will participate in developing competitive and technical parameters for the new class.

“The transition to electric is technically straightforward,” said Adrian Patzak, CCO, Molabo. “With the championship launch confirmed, the inaugural Formula 60 Electric grid is now being finalized, with a limited number of team spots still available.” He adds that technical briefings and integration planning sessions will be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Teams interested in learning more should contact [email protected] before March 29, 2026.

Molabo website  Kaiser website

The post June launch for new Formula 60 Electric Speedboat Championship appeared first on Plugboats.

Nice, one of the Mediterranean’s most historic ports and seaside destinations, is presenting a new public boat show and industry forum that focusses exclusively on electric, hydrogen, solar, hybrid and other sustainable boat and boating technologies.

Nice Boating Tomorrow has an impressive first year line-up of more than 80 exhibitors and 30 boats in-water, where visitors will be able to take part in sea trials and experience first-hand the performance, comfort and smoothness of clean propulsion systems.

The in-water exhibition will feature established shipyards alongside innovative start-ups and include everything from electric jetskis and dayboats to clean-energy cruising catamarans. Exhibitors are based in France, Finland, Croatia, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy and Monaco.

Electric motors, battery systems, solar panels, hybridization technologies, wind-assisted propulsion and more will be onshore along with boat retrofit solutions. Beyond electric vessels, visitors can explore sustainability options like deck coverings, eco-designed sails, bio-sourced nautical apparel and the services of naval architecture firms, eco-design studios and shared boating platforms.

The four day public show (March 19 – 22) is centred around Quai Infernet , near the old town of Nice, and coordinates with an industry forum taking place the 19th and 20th at the OcéaNice Conference Centre in the centre of the city. The forum features conferences and expert panels addressing the key challenges and opportunities shaping sustainable boating in the centre of the city.

Below are some highlighted electric boats and boating exhibitors at Quai Infernet and a schedule of the forum events that have electric propulsion as their topic. There is also an expandable guide that lists all electric boat exhibitors at the show and includes links to their websites.

The impetus for Nice Boating Tomorrow came about partly because the OcéaNice centre hosted 2025’sThird United Nations Ocean Conference. The momentum from that show – and the importance of sustainable navigation to Nice and the Mediterranean in general, prompted the mayor of Nice, M. Christian Estrosi, to reach out to the organizers of the Grand Pavois La Rochelle boat show.

The goal is to create “The first international boating event dedicated exclusively to sustainable boating, designed to become the leading global reference for tomorrow’s boating industry, fostering innovation visibility, exchange, collaboration and best practices in eco-navigation.”

Over the past 7 years Plugboats has covered a number of new shows, in various countries that focus on electric boats and boating. The quantity and quality of exhibitors and the broad industry support for the first Nice Boating Tomorrow – along with the city itself and the expertise and experience of the Grand Pavois Organization – bode well for this and future editions.

L’Association Française pour le Bateau Electrique a été créée en 1994 à Bordeaux par des partenaires issus d’horizons professionnels différents – universitaires, chercheurs, ingénieurs et industriels – soucieux de développer l’image et le marché du bateau électrique en France comme à l’étranger.

The French Association for Electric Boats was created in 1994 in Bordeaux by partners from different professional disciplines – academics, researchers, engineers and industrialists – concerned with developing the image and the market of electric boats in France and elsewhere.

Location: Paris, France

Bateau pour la planète est un constructeur de bateaux électro-solaires destinés à la navigation fluviale décarbonée. Ces bateaux electro-solaires destinés à la navigation fluviale décarbonée sont 100% autonomes en énergie.

Example avec la “Coche d’eau Solaire”, un concept de catamaran fluvial: la motorisation électrique alimentée par un générateur photovoltaique embarqué assure une navigation économe et silencieuse. Sa conception avec des matériaux recylcables en fera le premier bateau de plaisance entièrement recyclable.

1280 avenue des platanes – 34970 Casseneuil, France

bluenav.fr

boatee.it

Italy

Dhamma Blue is the first Spanish company to successfully develop and launch a hydrogen powered boat. We also bring the specialized expertise and partnerships to implement the required green hydrogen infrastructure.

Dhamma Blue was born with a clear mission

Sustainability

Innovation

Design

Performance

Location: Spain

The Dufour range of sailing boats comprises 9 iconic models designed to suit every sailing programme. Three are available with electric propulsion – Dufour 41, 470, 530., with four available . For over 60 years, Dufour yachts has a boat manufacturer have demonstrated their adaptability and versatility through beautiful innovations.

ELECTRIC / HYBRID INSTALLATIONS AND NAUTICAL PROPULSION SYSTEMS

We equip different types of boats: pleasure or racing sailboats, motorboats, charteryatchs, passenger boats, workboats, dinghies.

We design electric or hybrid motor solutions by choosing the best of the current technology in order to offer optimal navigation performances and comfort on board. We select our suppliers among the best brands.

Location: Grand Motte, France

e-soleboat.fr

POWERING THE FUTURE – NEVER STOP – GO AHEAD

ELECTRINE has focused on MARITIME ELECTRIFICATION since 2010 with a consistent effort on R&D.

ELECTRINE e-OUTBOARD series guarantees a full satisfaction

ELECTRINE e-INBOARD Series provides stunning performance

ELECTRINE e-SAILDRIVE series allows you to continue your valuable mission with more efficient and silent ride.

Republic of Korea

elveneboats.com

Fountaine Pajot is working on the deployment of electric motors for its sailing catamarans. This project should see the light of day in 2022 with the installation of electric motors on the Aura 51, the new 51-foot catamaran designed by Fountaine Pajot.

Power and propulsion delivered with unrivalled efficiency. Enhance your boating-experience while balancing luxury with environmental responsibility.

Experience silent cruising on our solar electric boats,

We are committed to using all our know-how, experience and the latest technology to design solar electric boats that are environmentally friendly and at the forefront of sustainable mobility.

SUSTAINABILITY

DESIGN

LIFESTYLE

INNOVATION

QUALITY

EXPERIENCE

MERCURY MARINE®

Discover a new way of navigating with Millikan Boats and the M.10 solar electric catamaran — designed for silent cruising, energy autonomy and exceptional onboard comfort.

Built and assembled in France by the Normandy-based shipyard Millikan Boats, the M.10 reflects a new vision of boating: clean, efficient and respectful of the marine environment.

Location: France

MobyFly designs and delivers zero-emission performance marine hydrofoil boats that will change waterborne travel forever.

We are a technology company. Our zero-emission hydrofoil boats will be capable of transporting passengers in comfort at speeds in excess of 70km/h while using 70% less energy than existing diesel ferries — and without creating any waves or pollution in the process.

naviwatt.com

March 19 to 22, 2026

The new international sustainable boating event.

…with professional exhibitors on land and afloat, products and innovations presentations, as well as sea trials and demonstrations.

A program of conferences with the presence of leading brands and figures from the maritime and environmental sectors. A place to exchange and share ideas with the ambition of building a transition towards responsible boating.

Bellmarine is a Dutch brand and historical leader in electric marine propulsion and more besides; With a concentration on the European market with over 4000 systems installed in various types of applications.

Transfluid S.p.A.,  an Italian  company, has been manufacturing power transmission  products  for over 60 years and is well established in the market thanks to its organisation of subsidiaries and distributors around the world. Transfluid has developed a complete range of hybrid propulsion systems and produces permanent magnet electric machinery.

Established in 2018, the new company Transfluid North Europe B.V.  combines the experience and knowledge of the two companies; both share a vision orientated towards the future with environmentally friendly propulsion, for marine and industrial applications, the natural evolution of their technologies.

The merger between the two companies now enables proposal of electrical and hybrid solutions suitable for any type of boat or industrial vehicle, covering a unique range of powers worldwide.

Netherlands

Boatee Outboard

The most obvious functional element setting it apart is a flip top handle/tiller/monitor that puts the information about the energy usage, battery state of charge and GPS right up close to you at the end of the tiller handle. Steering and monitoring can also be done through a Bluetooth-connected smartphone app. The motor can be configured with power of  900W or 1300W (.9 kW or 1.3 kW) depending on the choice of battery: 24V, 36V or 48V. The batteries weigh 7.5 , 10.5 and 12.5 kg (16.5, 23 and 28 lb) and have storage capacity of about 700, 1,000 and 1,450 Watt hours. The motor itself weighs 6 kilos (13 lb).

 Boatee website 

Competr: contra-rotating propellers in a tractor electric OB

We first saw the Competr at the 2025 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, where it was powering both the University of Bologna’s winning entry in the Energy Class and the Red Wave Rigid Inflatable Boat that won the SeaLab class. The motor was developed by students of the university under the leadership of U of B Professor Nicolò Cavina. The natural upshot of their work was to create a commercial entity, and Competr also launched their new product at Metstrade 2025.

JOOOL

Dhamma Blue DB P01

The 120 kW (190 hp) motor easily has enough for waterskiing or wakeboarding, it can cruise for 65 Nm (120 km / 75 mi)) miles at 12 knots (22 kph/ 14 mph) and the control system automatically optimizes the combination of hydrogen fuel cell or battery power required for any speed or condition.

With a length of 7.9m / 26 ft and a beam of 4.55m / 8.3 ft, there is plenty of space for up to 7 passengers who have the option of relaxing on one of two sunbeds that lead to a small swimming platform. Dhamma Blue Co-founder Philippe Esposito will be part of a panel at the International forum investigating  ‘Hydrogen and leisure boating: what are the possibilities’. Dhamma Blue  Read more about the DB P01 in Plugboats

Elvene

Two Elvene boat models will be at Nice Boating Tomorrow, both built on the same 6.5m / 22 ft. hull design. The Amy is an open deck boat with solar panelled roof, the Amber has a Cuddy-Cabin for overnight stays and slightly larger roof. They come with either a side or centre console layout and can be powered with a single motor as small as 3kW or twin motors with combined 50kW of power. Battery storage can be either 22kWh or 44kWh, and in every case the combination of battery and solar power offers limitless range at low speed, as proven in the low sunlight of Finland and demonstrated in this video below by Justin Dallinger of AquaLectric. Elvene website

Lasai 32KS solar-electric overnighter

Their latest model – the Lasai 32KS – is a larger boat designed for overnighting instead of day use alone. Using the learning from their smaller models, the designers and engineers used a catamaran design, which creates less drag and water resistance than a monohull and also allows for a wide spacious helm and deck area along with a fully equipped interior cabin with en-suite head.

The designers have done a great job of maximizing all of the space, using clever seating configurations and a layout that emphasizes convenience and boating pleasure. Elegant lines and a refined silhouette stand up to closer inspection with attention having been paid to the finishing details. Lasai website  Read more about the Lasai 32KS in Plugboats 

Millikan Boats – Millikan M.10 solar-electric

The M.10 combines silence, absence of vibrations, and freedom without the constraints of internal combustion engines. It offers welcoming, bright, and adaptable spaces, suitable for family outings as well as professional or tourist activities. Quiet, economical to operate, and easy to manoeuvre, its smart solar roof and ultra-efficient electric motors maximizes the M.10’s range while reducing its environmental impact.  Millikan Boats website

MobyFly

SeaZen

SeaZen is also staging the first solar navigation museum in the world. The exhibit includes four boats, dating from 2016 to today, shown at three locations: two in nearby Beaulieu-sur-Mer (west of Nice), and one each at Juan-les-Pins (east of Nice) and at the Nice Boating Tomorrow main location. SeaZen website

Viva Electric Jets

Dufour

Fountaine Pajot

Leopard

The One Box power management system integrates all the power functions necessary for propulsion and monitors power from each source. Naval architects Simonis Voogd have optimized the Leopard 52 for performance and ease of handling along with 438 square feet of integrated indoor-outdoor living space, designed for maximum connection and comfort. Leopard Catamarans website

The Forum takes place the first two days of the show – March 19 and 20 at the OcéaNice Conference Centre. Here are some of the electric boating topics roundtables and seminars, the full  program and speaker list are available on the Nice Boating Tomorrow website.

‘Pitch your project’ presentations each day allow start-ups to show industry decision makers their new products. service and technologies. Among them are:

Thursday, March 19

2:35 PM: The first roundtable of the forum gathers various experts to provide viewpoints on “Pleasure boating, environmental impact and challenges” Panellists:

Friday March 20

9 :15 AM: Roundtable – Electrification of leisure boating. Panellists:

9 :55 AM: Case studies & testimonials from electric boat builders:

10:20 AM: Roundtable – Hydrogen and leisure boating: what are the possibilities? Presenters:
Etienne

The post Impressive new Nice Boating Tomorrow show highlights electric, solar, sustainability appeared first on Plugboats.

Spanish boatyard Dhamma Blue has developed a hydrogen fuel cell and lithium battery hybrid propulsion system that gives their flagship DHB-P01 model all of the range and speed many recreational boaters would ever need – without pumping carbon dioxide and noxious fumes into the atmosphere.

The system has four core elements:

In some hydrogen electric hybrid systems, like those used in the America’s Cup chase boats, the fuel cells and battery are linked up in series: the hydrogen tank feeds → the fuel cells, which convert → the hydrogen to electricity that feeds / charges → the battery, which powers →  the motor.

In the DHB-P01 system the cells and battery are linked to the motor in parallel, meaning either – or both – can power the motor. An ECU (Engine Control Unit) adjusts the input as necessary depending on the speed and load required. In general, the fuel cells are used for slower speeds / longer range and the battery for higher speeds / shorter bursts.

This hydrogen electric hybrid system provides the same benefits as a diesel  electric hybrid: extending the boat’s range beyond the limits the battery’s energy storage can deliver on its own. A hydrogen electric system, though, is a lot cleaner than one using fossil fuels because the only thing emitted is water vapour.

There may be carbon emissions when the hydrogen is produced using a process called steam reformation, but when it is produced using electricity in a process called electrolysis, there are no carbon emissions when that electricity comes from renewable sources like wind and solar.

Read the Plugboats article: The Colours of Hydrogen

That is called ‘green hydrogen’ and it is where Dhamma Blue began. One of the company’s co-founders, Philippe Esposito, is a pioneering leader in Spain’s renewable energy sector who also co-founded one of the country’s largest developers of green hydrogen, H2 Energy. The company builds large solar farms that use the generated electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. Projects are underway not only in Spain but also in Portugal and Mexico.

The other Dhamma Blue founder is Robin Imaz, a marine engineer, naval architect, and professional sailor for 15 years who has won multiple world championship races. He has done everything from design and optimization of racing sailing yachts to structural and cost optimization studies to complete design for both power and sailing yachts.

With the DHB-P01 Imaz and his team have put together a boat that is a delight to be on, with the enjoyment enhanced by the silence of the motor and the lack of noxious fumes. This quick video can give you an idea of how quiet the ride is.

You can also see that this boat can move. With a 140 kw (190 hp) motor that can produce peak power of 210 kw (285 hp), the DB P01 has top speed of 28 kts (52 kph / 32 mph).  That gives plenty of zip for water sports and, since water sports only require high speeds when the rider is up, the hydrogen fuel cell extends the amount of time (or number of times) that everyone can go out for a spin. At cruising speed (12 knots / 22 kph/ 14 mph) the DB P01 can cover 65 Nautical miles: 120 kilometres / 75 miles.

Imaz says “What I am most proud of is that this boat can do a lot of things. Many boats can do one thing very very well, but are not as good for others. But people don’t always want to do the same thing in their boat, to always have the same experience. Sometimes they want to have a long slow sail with family or friends, maybe take a swim in a quiet cove…other times they have fun by going skiing or wakeboarding…and sometimes they may want to go for a longer distance but at a reasonable speed because of time reasons. They can do all of these with the DHB-P01.”

Onboard, the feel is one of openness and high quality reflected in a clean, unpretentious design. The 2.55m (8′ 4″) beam provides plenty of room for a pilot and  passenger seat up front,  two seats behind and day/sunbeds stretching towards a swimming platform at the stern.

Naval Architect and Marine Engineer Carlos Orive, a key member of Imaz’ team, says melding the propulsion system with the deck layout and design led to some boater-friendly solutions. The different weights of the motor, battery, fuel cells, hydrogen tanks, had to be arranged to provide the best balance for both planing and non-planing uses and for ‘refueling’ with hydrogen and electricity. One of the outcomes was the split sunbed idea – one slightly wider than the other – which together conceal the energy storage and generation elements.

“Many boats have a sunbed going across the whole width” he says, “but we introduced the wider hull beam for planing and performance reasons so we thought about a different kind of layout. It means you don’t have to step on the bed, and it makes it easier for people to move around in the boat, go swimming or use the platform to prepare for waterskiing. It’s a very comfortable, open layout.”

When it comes to refueling, the DB PO1 can be charged with standard electric connections and through standard hydrogen systems. There are about 200 hydrogen filling stations in Europe and various tank  delivery programs available. Dhamma Blue is also in conversations with marinas to provide green hydrogen seaside.

The boat is classified as Category C: for coastal cruising and inland waters, and Esposito, Imaz and team see numerous opportunities in both areas, including urban waterways and canal cities where reducing noise and emissions is essential and hydrogen infrastructure can be multi-purposed.

“Dhamma Blue is not just a boat. It’s a manifesto,” said Esposito and Imaz at the 2025 Venice Boat Show. “Our goal is to lead real decarbonization in the nautical world, demonstrating that marine mobility can be scalable, efficient, and environmentally respectful.”

Dhamma Blue website

The post Sail 5.5 hours at 12 knots in this hydrogen electric hybrid dayboat from Dhamma Blue appeared first on Plugboats.

Norwegian company Evoy was one of the first in the world to develop all electric boat motors with power ratings of 100 kilowatts and beyond. They now have lines of high powered outboards and inboard systems like the Breeze 120+ HP, Storm 330+ HP and Hurricane 400+ HP that are on the transoms and in the hulls of dozens of vessels from leading boat yards around the world.

One of those is Axopar. I was able to chat with Leif out on the water in an Evoy propelled AX/E 25 at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, and then back on land after the Metstrade boating trade show, where Evoy and sister companies Vita and Taiga had announced some exciting and groundbreaking battery news.

This article is a lightly edited transcription of the podcast interview with Stavøstrand in which he talks about the past, present and future of electric boating.

SCENE: Speaking in the ‘go-slow / no-wake zone’ at the Cannes Yachting Festival

Plugboats: Leif, when you and I first talked, I had just started Plugboats, and you had just started Evoy.

Leif Stavøstrand: 
Yeah, it’s been a few years. We started in 2018, I think, and you and I talked pretty much the first year. So it’s been seven years now.

PB: And does it seem like seven years…or five seconds…or a couple of lifetimes…

LS: 
It’s funny, when you look back at time, it seems like it’s fast, but like you say, it’s kind of been a lifetime. You can have really good news and really bad news in the same day, and you have this roller coaster of emotions and news.

PB: 
And as I recall, it didn’t take you long to go from the concept to reality.

LS: 
We brought the product to market pretty early, which was a conscious choice. It also meant that our customer knew in the early days that there could be hiccups, but that we would be there to help them when stuff occurred, and I think that has been the right choice for us. Instead of doing R&D for 10 years, we got to adapt the product to customer feedback.

PB: and that’s been helpful?

LS: Yes, the customers sometimes manage to provoke things that we don’t see when we do our testing. It’s like, oh, yeah, you can do… ‘Oh, we hadn’t thought about doing it like that. Okay, let’s adapt to that’. So that’s been good for us

PB: 
And overall, has the adoption of electric propulsion been faster or slower than you thought

LS: 
I think we did expect things to move quicker. I think everyone did. Looking at the car market, it’s maybe not so surprising that things do take time, and it’s really different from region to region and country to country, because you have some markets that quite ready.

But if there is a generalization, you could say that markets that are heavy on electric cars are typically also more interested and ready to go electric with boats. Where we see really good traction is often where there’s incentives in place. That really helps a lot.

We’re seeing a good uptake in the U.S., both East Coast, West Coast, and we also have a good uptake in Norway, and there’s some along the Mediterranean. There’s some in Sweden, and there’s the commercial side – aquaculture, strong port and harbour, some tourism. We have quite a bit in there, tenders used for going out on the water with 12 passengers or so. We have got a few of those.

PB: And what’s the split between new boats and repowers or refits?

LS: 
It’s mostly new boats. I think the driver there is that when people are getting a new shiny electric system, they typically combine it with upgrading the boat at the same time. I think we’re probably at somewhere between 80 to 90% on new boats versus retrofitting.

We think that percentage might change over time, especially when we get like, cost down, then it will be easier for people to think, okay, my my motor is about to conk out here, and price isn’t that much more for for electric in many ways, with the outboard. Then again, the inboard is about 50% smaller than your normal inboard. In some cases 60%, in some cases 40%, but as a rule of thumb, about 50% smaller in volume.

PB: That’s interesting that markets where electric cars are going well are also good for electric boats.

LS: 
Yes, with those that have electric cars, it’s a whole different conversation. People that are experienced with trying. Charging and how it works, and that they have to plan a little bit when it comes to how they use their car. They bring that state of mind into the boat as well. So it’s a lot easier conversation to have.

SCENE: The boat we were out on with Leif was an AX/E 25, one of the models Evoy worked on with Axopar boats to create a line of electric models. The AX/E 25 has 220 kilowatts of continuous power and peak power – about 440 kilowatts, or almost 600 horsepower. I asked Leif about the battery and the charging time for an electric boat with that kind of power.

PB: As we both know, Leif, charging is one of the things that people always ask about,

LS: 
After speed and range, charging is the most common question.

PB: And so how big is the battery on this boat?

LS: 
This has 126 kilowatt hours, with 112 of them usable.

PB: And what kind of charging time are we looking at?

LS: 
This boat can recharge in 45 minutes from 10% to 80%, which is the typical charging that people do.

PB: So that’s high speed charging. And other than that…

LS: 
Using semi fast chargers, and that’s more common, the time is three hours, We encourage our customers to use Type 2 charging.

PB: In that situation the smart cable can read how many amps can safely come out of the outlet and into the battery?

LS: 
Yeah, that’s Type 2. However, if you only have Type 1, you can just set the amps on the screen, 10, 16, 32 amps…basically, if you have power in your marina, you can charge on it.

SCENE: We then had an opportunity to get out in the big waters and go a bit faster.

LS: 
Are you ready for a little bit of speed?

PB: 
Both leisure and commercial boats are using Evoy electric inboards and outboards. Can you talk to us a bit about the different usage?

LS: 
A lot of our commercial customers are what we call ‘A to A’ customers – they go from one court, where they typically have the boat in the night time, and then they go back out and do something, if it’s lobster traps or oyster or monitoring or guard work, and then they go back into the same port.

Recreational users typically have an ‘A to B to A’ use. They go out, they do something, they stop by at a restaurant, or those type of things, and then come back in.

PB: So when people say they go out in their boat for three hours, they’re probably not driving for all of those three hours. Do they usually go as far or as long as they think they do or say?

LS: 
Never. They always overestimate. When you talk to them, they always give their worst case, which is fine in one way, because it was the same with the car industry that people typically told them “Well, I go for this one long trip a year, and I want to do it without charging.” But a lot of the electric car owners have adapted, and I guess it is the same for us.

PB: On another note, when you started Evoy, you were pretty much the only manufacturer specializing in high power electric marine motors. And now you’ve got some competition out there. There are about four or five others.

LS: 
Yes. Healthy competition is healthy for everyone. It sharpens us and keeps us on our toes, and it opens up the market too. I mean, if it was only us, everyone would be pretty skeptical, right? But seeing a lot of different manufactuers and motors in there actually makes it more believable that this is something that can work for more users.

PB: I think that’s kind of true for electric boats in general. The more people see them, at their marina or wherever, the more they say ‘Oh, that looks cool, that works, Joe likes his.’

LS: 
Oh, for sure, the neighbour effect is very strong.

PB: Then there’s batteries. You must have seen so many changes and developments in batteries over the last eight years.

LS: 

It’s amazing, actually, to follow the development of the batteries and see how that’s coming, but it’s also kind of painful to see how long it takes to trickle down into the maritime industry. Obviously, the cars are in front of us, but one thing that’s been really positive to see is in the last couple years, there’s been a lot of focus on increasing how fast the batteries can charge, because that’s also very helpful for us.

If a battery can charge fast, it typically can discharge faster and you need to have a C Rate that is better adapted to the boat industry, because we use more continuous energy than you do in a car. (ED NOTE: C Rate is how fast a battery can charge and discharge)

So that’s one thing that we see. And then, of course, the whole price thing, it hasn’t really come into the maritime industry yet, but I think in the next couple years, we definitely will see some prices coming down.

PB: We always hear news big things about solid state batteries and different chemicals and big breakthroughs. Do you think that there’s going to be a big breakthrough in batteries, or are they just going to keep getting better and better all the time?

LS: 
It’s mostly going to be incremental. But there are some companies doing very interesting stuff, and there are some things in the market, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some really nice new batteries coming into the industry. Now, it’s not necessarily a revolution, but a good step. I think that’s something we can expect.

SCENE: When Leif said ‘that’s something we can expect’ he actually knew something at the time that ‘we’ didn’t know. But we’ll get to that later in the podcast, when we speak with him after Metstrade.

Back at Cannes and in the quiet, no wake zone, I asked Leif about the data aggregation and analysis element of electric boats.

LS: 
Yea, it’s kind of the heart of what we do. We get really exact data. We have around 500 data points on a boat, things that we can monitor on board. I think a boat loads up around five gigabytes per month.

A big chunk of that is from the battery. We can monitor anything – alarms, temperatures, amps in, amps out, SOC (State of Charge), health of the battery, all these type of things. And then, of course, it’s the rest of the system that we have built, and the temperatures and pressures and amps.

All the data makes it so much easier if something comes up, we can go through it all and see what’s going on, if something’s off, or a customer calls about something, see if it’s charging, or a fuse that’s blown, or whatever.

Each boat loads up 5Gb of data every month

PB: That must be very powerful when you aggregate that data from all of your boats

LS: 
Extremely. We analyze the data on how people use their boats, how they use the systems, what’s the output, and also how we can use it in the user interface. We’re now using that data in our app, so that the customer has a good overview of the boat and all those things. In many ways, I would claim we have the best app in the maritime industry, and there are still a lot of opportunities to use that data going ahead as well.

PB: Did you know at the beginning that the data aspect was going to be that useful?

LS: 
Our hypothesis was very early that this was going to be important to us, but I don’t think we saw all the use cases. We didn’t understand the magnitude of it and how useful it would be, really. It just keeps on building and keeps adding value over time. And there’s tons of sets of different ways that you can analyze the data, some of which we haven’t even done yet, but it’s there. It’s very useful when you’re sitting and working on the next generation of products.

We see from the car industry that there are still things that we can optimize and do in that regard, and we also have some stuff on our plate that we think is going to be pretty unique…that we don’t even see in the car industry.

PB: Leif, thanks for this great perspective on the industry, where it’s been and where it’s at. I guess the question now is, ‘What’s the next five years? Where are things headed? Where’s it going?’

LS: 
Five years is a long time. Thinking back to five years ago, we’ve doubled the range on our boats, we have better efficiency, better batteries. The thing is, now that there is us and others also, we’re really coming into what I would call a high maturity state on the systems – they just work. And so more and more people are getting bored, the different boats, trying different boats, different systems.

As an industry, though, on the electric boat side, the volumes are still small, so nobody has managed to really press down the cost yet. But I would say it’s likely that we will see prices down in the next five years, which also should open up more for the recreational side of things.

I still think it’s going to be 10 years before your regular Joe is gonna go electric. But there’s are early adapters, there are people with lakefront properties that are definitely going to move. We see from the Taiga jetski side now – they’re close to a price parity, or you can even say they’re AT price parity – and that just makes the whole difference.

So I think it’s, it’s more a price play now than a range play. And of course, the range will improve, if not daily, at least weekly. There are new customers coming in. I’m not exaggerating when I say there are hundreds of boat builders we’ve been speaking with over the years. Not all have decided to move yet, there are different reasons, – cost or their customers, or they weren’t ready, or multiple reasons – but there is huge interest in what we do and what we can do. So a lot of boat builders are ready to go as soon as they have a customer, or as soon as they’re they’re lined up.

SCENE: A few weeks after the chat at Cannes where we talked at some length about batteries, Evoy introduced their new battery at the Metstrade show. I later had a chance to talk to Leif about that.

LS: 
You’re right, Jeff, we had a nice chat there in Cannes, but I couldn’t say too much at that point, about what we had been working on, for quite a while. We decided to launch the new battery at Mets along with the next generation inboard Breeze 120+ HP, which is adapted to the new battery pack, from Taiga.

As you know, Taiga does jet skis and snowmobiles, and they’ve done really well around their technology, their battery packs, which they build themselves in Canada.

If you rewind a year, you’ll see that all the sister companies – Evoy, Vita, Aqua superpower and Taiga – we’ve all started working much closer together, and the first thing we agreed on is that we needed to present the maritime industry with a better battery than what we could find in the market today.

Based on the battery modules that Taiga already has and produces in their facility, we decided to make a battery pack after a lot of thought about how to integrate it, the best way to make it manufacturable, producible, what would fit well in the boat. So it’s in the same footprint as the batteries that we were already using. The specs on the new battery are that we can do a continuous C Rate of 2 on discharge and charge, meaning we can do 10% to 80% charging in 20 minutes.

That’s one benefit of it. Another benefit of the battery is it can be charged quite fast on land. We know that a lot of customers, especially in the US, do actually put their boats on trailers in between using them, so being able to charge it faster on land is important.

The battery is a great update to the new inboard Breeze. We brought the whole system weight down about 150 kilograms. On pricing of the battery itself, we’re down by about 60% and on the system overall about 35% less, so we’re definitely now at a point where it gets a lot more interesting for a lot of users, and that’s something we’re really looking forward to pushing out into the market in 2026

PB: When we were talking in Cannes, you were saying that you think the changes in batteries will be incremental. I mean, this is still incremental, it’s not solid state, but it’s a big step.

LS: 
Yea, a big step in the right direction. And as of now, the battery will be something that Evoy uses for our own power trains, but we’re also looking into being able to supply this to others in the industry in 2027 and already have some interesting dialogue going on there. So we’ll see what that can bring.

Evoy website  Taiga website  Vita website  Aqua superPower website

The post Plugboats Podcast: Interview with Leif Stavøstrand of Evoy on the Past, Present & Future of Electric Boats appeared first on Plugboats.