Month: April 2022

How big and fast can electric outboard motors get, and how far will they be able to go? Long relegated to trolling duty and dinghy driving, electric outboards are now showing up with more horsepower to deliver greater speed on bigger boats, but how far will they be able to take us? Electric outboards have many attractive attributes. They are much quieter than their internal combustion cousins, have fewer moving parts, require little or no maintenance, are lighter, have much greater torque and don’t smell. But they also have their limitations. Speed isn’t so much the issue, but cost is. Range—particularly at higher speeds—is a major challenge.

Switzerland-headquartered technology company ABB is to provide an electric-propulsion system for the e5 Lab’s Roboship project to support the decarbonization of the Japanese shipping industry. The Japanese Shipowners’ Association announced in October 2021 its goal of achieving net zero GHG by 2050, and is supported in this endeavor by the e5 Lab consortium, consisting of Asahi Tanker, Exeno Yamamizu Corporation, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and the Mitsubishi Corporation, which will further develop renewably powered commercial vessels.

Engineers have successfully begun water testing of the RaceBird – an all-electric, single pilot foiling boat that will soon be racing in the E1World Electric Powerboat Series. The RaceBird has been in development the past couple years as the official racing vessel for E1. The E1 World Electric Powerboat Series is a championship racing series created specifically for electric boats, dreamt up by Alejandro Agag, the founder of Formula E and Extreme E championship series, and Rodi Basso, a former Director of Motorsport at McLaren with

A Canadian government initiative that subsidises private businesses by funding up to half the cost of installing charging stations for electric vehicles could soon be extended to include electric boats. The Charger Incentive Program, funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and managed by Green Economy Canada (GEC), is a C$3.9m initiative that aims to address the lack of charging stations in the country – a factor seen as a key barrier to EV adoption. The initiative refunds up to 50% of the cost incurred by private businesses for installing new electric vehicle charging stations, to a maximum of $100,000 per project.

Green Waves 630X is now the first electric-only boat in Norway to go into serial production.The 630X is the second model from Green Waves, joining the GW 601, introduced in 2019 and now being enjoyed by 30+ extremely satisfied customers, like this one quoted on the Green Waves site:

“This boat gives us 100% joy and no sorrows. On the stern it says 100% electric, and people in all age groups give a thumbs up when we pass. When someone drives up next to us to ask the usual questions about range and speed, I start the conversation by saying: ‘Sorry, I can’t hear anything because your boat is making noise’ – which always produces spontaneous laughter in the other boat.“

The 601 was also selected to be in the stable of Oslo boat-sharing service Kruzer because it is ideally suited for a silent, leisurely outing with friends. Green Waves wanted to broaden its range, though, and so began work on the 630X model

We have recently completed a six-boat order for Grieg Seafoods. These were 8.5 and nine metre boats using OXE diesel outboards. They have been very successful in the role they are used for and the crews like them. The boats are built to an approved structural design and supplied ready coded MCA Cat 3 for use on arrival on site. The Fluggaboats’ use of aluminium for the hull and the HDPE collar make a very durable, long-lasting boat that is proven to be up to to the use that farms require. Their strong structure and reserves of buoyancy mean these boats are probably the best on the market.