Electric boats

Mercury Marine has just announced the launch of its two newest electric outboard motors, the Avator 20e and Avator 35e.

We’ve seen electric bicycle drivetrains in a number of small-format vehicles, but the Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 brings e-biking to the kayak market. The ePDL+ 132 is basically a pedal-assist system for a kayak, though it also offers pedal-free operation that effectively turns it into a tiny electric boat.

Seven Super Bowl rings, five Super Bowl MVPs, and countless accolades in between – Tom Brady is considered by many football fans as the GOAT (greatest of all time), but has since retired… then came back to the NFL… then retired again. Brady may have hung up his football cleats, but he’s now taking that competitive edge into new ventures – the latest as a team owner of the UIM E1 World Championship electric boat racing league.

A growing wave of small and light electric boats is hitting the market, bringing affordability to the masses. And with more options brings more diversity, including this interesting little electric sailing catamaran known as the IZIBoat.

After seven years of research and development, Slovenian shipyard EJET has achieved one of the first goals the company was founded upon – create an electric jet tender that outperforms its combustion-dependent competitors. Today, EJET has brought its 4X high performance electric jet tender to market as it puts the finishing touches on its next electric boat, which is even larger.

The Portuguese company Faro Electric Boats has just pulled the cover off of the new Faro PowerDock. The off-grid electric dock and boat lift is powered by a solar array, offering recharging opportunities even when shore power isn’t an option.

My journey in the electric mobility segment recently brought me to Gothenburg, Sweden – home to the Skansen Kronen, ZEEKR’s design center, and of course, Volvo. Sweden is one of the Scandinavian markets embracing electrification, and it couldn’t be more apparent in its public transit network. This includes 100% electric ferries, of which I got the chance to tour and go for a ride.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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