Electricity has changed our lives a lot and it’s about to change them even more. We’ve all heard of electric cars or electric bikes, and most of us have already seen them on the road already. Some of us even own an electric car. But what about motorboats?
We’re pretty sure you haven’t thought about electric motorboats. And you had no reason to, since a few years ago, there were barely any sketches of such electric water vehicles, and no, it wasn’t because you generally don’t mix water and electricity, but because the high drag of water would cause any battery to deplete at a very fast rate.
In time though, the concept of electric motorboats has gotten some traction, and today we’ve got quite a few electric motorboats on the market. They come, of course, with the expected tradeoffs of an incipient technology, but in some regards are already better than what we’re used to. And with the last edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival proving to everybody that electric motorboats are here to stay, we’d rather welcome them now.
The following 20 are the best electric motorboats we’ve found out about so far, and we’re more than sure you’re going to love them.
20. Delphia 10
The Delphia 10 is a versatile motorboat, and that’s because it allows some amount of customization that the owner can do before purchasing it. One such design choice is between motorizing it with a traditional diesel engine of 110 hp versus an electric shaft drive capable of 40 or 80 hp.
The small ship can further be tailored to the owner’s needs by choice of layouts. There are three in total, a Sedan, a Lounge model, and the Lounge Top variant.
The Delphia 10 Sedan presents a large cockpit and walkaround side decks, the Lounge brings a fully open design with a forward cockpit and lots of space for passengers to relax, and the Lounge Top brings a flat hardtop that could be covered with solar panels to extend the battery life of the yacht, and therefore its range.
19. Frauscher 740 Mirage
The Mirage 740 from Austrian yard Frauscher is a gorgeous little boat, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise if you’ve seen any other ship from this builder. Everything about the Mirage is carefully thought out, with no detail left to chance.
And given the size of the 740 Mirage, it allowed for the adding of an electric powertrain consisting of either a 60kW or a 110kW Torpedo motor. The most powerful option will last you for around 17 to 60nm, depending on how fast you want to go, with a top speed of 26 knots.
Coming from the Lyman-Morse shipyard in Maine, the Navier 27 Foiler aims to be a breakthrough for all future electric motorboats. To compensate for the compromises made when you shift from traditional gas operated engines to electric ones, the founders of this concept decided to go for a hydrofoil design with their ship, giving it the lower drag it will need to make it efficient enough for daily use.
The boat will be sustainable enough for most boat owners, and will be able to reach top speeds of 30 knots, while cruising for up to 70 miles at 20 knots.
17. X-Shore 1
The X-Shore 1 is claimed to be the cheapest electric sports boat in Europe, costing below $100,000 without the taxes. Its powertrain will be a 125kW electric motor, coupled with a battery of 63kWh, which doesn’t seem too much, but given the ship’s small and lighter hull, it allows for a top speed of 30 knots and a 50nm range at low speeds of no more than 6 knots.
The vessel comes in two configurations, both as an open boat with a half height windscreen and as a top variant, with a full height windscreen, small hardtop, and canopies at the helm.
16. Riva El-Iseo
The renowned Italian boutique yacht maker Riva has also shifted his attention from full fledged gorgeous yachts to the opportunity of designing electric motor boats. Riva’s first design is the 27 foot El-Iseo, an all electric yacht tender equipped with a Parker GVM 310 electric motor capable of pushing the boat through water at a cruise speed of 26 knots and a maximum of 40 knots.
The powerful motor will produce between 335 and 402 horsepower in the configuration of the El-Iseo, and the battery pack will be capable of delivering the needed power for up to 10 hours in economy mode.
As for styling, the vessel looks incredibly classy and elegant, as you’d expect from Riva, but packing modern technology.
15. Four Winns H2e
Four Winns, part of the Beneteau Group, decided to take the plunge into the electric world too, and launch one of their famous H series boats with an all electric configuration.
The Four Winns H2e will be a 22ft bowrider powered by a 180hp Vision Marine electric motor and two 700V batteries, a combination that should give the boat a 35 knot top speed. The range has yet to be disclosed.
14. Arc One
The Arc One is a new and interesting boat coming from a recently founded company, a Californian start-up named the Arc Boat Company. Though very young, it has already obtained a significant financial backup from several Hollywood celebrities, which allowed them to speed up the design and development of their Arc One.
The vessel is a 24 foot ski boat with a unique look, 500 horsepower, a top speed of 35 knots, and juice for up to 5 hours, which is good enough for an electric motorboat.
13. Alfastreet 28
The Alfastreet 28 is a Slovenian built boat that comes in electric configurations as well. So far, there are two variants, the Open and the Cabin. The Cabin is the top of the range, equipped with twin 10kW motors paired with twin 25kWh batteries, giving it a top speed of 7.5 knots and cruising speed of 5 knots, which allows for a total range of 50nm.
The Alfastreet 28 can accommodate up to 12 passengers, and it’s intended for small canal runs or short lake journeys at a slow pace.
12. Zin Z2R
Another start-up, the Seattle based Zin Electric Boats, offers their first runabout, the 20 foot Z2R. The boat itself features a lovely minimalist design, built from a very lightweight carbon fiber hull which gives it an advantage when it comes to efficient cruising.
And speaking of that, the Z2R will be able to cruise at 13 knots with a range between 80 and 100nm. That’s an impressive feat for an all electric boat, and it’s even better when you find out that the top speed is 35 knots. It’s actually 48 knots, a number achieved by their first prototype, but it’s limited on the production model to preserve battery life.
That performance is achieved through the use of a Torqeedo 55kW electric motor and a Torqeedo 45kWh battery.
11. Candela C-8
Another European boat manufacturer, the Swedish brand Candela, has brought to the world the C-8, an electric boat that could prove to be the game changer the industry needed.
The boat uses a hydrofoil design for its hull, thus minimizing water drag and wake and increase the performance of its Candela C-Pod electric motor. Therefore, the boat’s top speed reaches 24 knots, and will have a range of 50nm. This year, 2023, will also bring an upgrade in the battery pack, which might increase its range even more.
The C-8 has also the possibility to offer overnight accommodation for up to two adults and two children, making it an ideal family dayboat.
10. Hermes Speedster E
The Hermes Speedster E is perhaps the most beautiful electric motorboat we’ve seen, with its curvy hull and chrome framed windscreen inspired by Porsche’s 356 Speedster from the 1950s. The E in its name conveys its electric powertrain, which is a 134kW motor capable of pushing the boat through water at speeds of 30 knots.
At a decent speed of 5 knots, the Speedster E is capable of a run time of 9 hours, which should be plenty for a fun trip. It can also hold up to four people, which makes it perfect for a group of friends. Or a fancy family.
9. Spirit 35 Foiler
The 35 Foiler, developed by the British shipyard Spirit Yachts, is an upcoming raceboat using the latest hydrofoil technology to boost its electric capabilities. The 35ft boat uses a TBC motor and battery that will push it above the water at up to 30 knots, with a cruise speed of 20 knots giving it an impressive range of 100nm.
Beyond the modern tech, the 35 Foiler features a nice and sleek retro design for its hull that will make the boat stand out in any port.
8. Correct Craft Ingenity 23E
The Correct Craft Ingenity 23E is designed with the idea of large groups of friends in mind, having fun on the water with a minimal effect on the environment. The boat has space for up to 11 people, with round robin seating, and easy access to and from the water.
When it comes to performance, the Ingenity 23E is equipped with a 126kW electric engine, which allows for a runtime of 14 hours at slow speeds.
7. Boesch 750 Portofino De Luxe
Boesch’s 750 Portofino De Luxe is a true beauty, impressing any boat lover with its elegance and retro styling. It’s a classic boat down to its core, with a hull made from lightweight mahogany laminate, giving it the deluxe aesthetic.
Though its performance isn’t as good as that of other boats on this list, with a maximum run of 70 minutes at just a little over 20 knots, it’s probably one of the most comfortable and posh electric boats available today.
There’s a windshield inspired from the automotive world of the mid nineties, with a retractable sun top and a roomy sunpad aft that will make anyone crave for some time on this boat sipping a cocktail.
6. Marian M 800 Spyder
A bowrider at its core, the Marian M 800 Spyder is a superb option coming from the Austrian electric ship builder Marian Boats. And since this yard is focused solely on manufacturing electric boats, the M 800 Spyder already benefits from all the research for a hull designed from the ground up for efficient range.
The boat was launched in 2021, and comes equipped with a 150kW electric motor, capable of pushing the M 800 Spyder through the water at 34 knots at full power or at a cruise speed of 16 knots, allowing for a total range of 30nm.
5. Q Yachts Q30
The Q30 is the elegant result of a young Finnish shipyard, Q Yachts, that started from the idea of developing high end electric boats that would offer the same experience of sailing boats, with their silent and swift cruising.
Their Q30 ditches the sails in the favor of twin 10kW Torqeedo motors and a 30kWh battery. It may seem like nothing in comparison with the other electric boat examples, but the boats achieves its goal of slipping silently through the water at slow speeds, with almost no noise and no wake. What’s more, the powertrain is so efficient that it can elegantly cruise for 10 hours at 6 knots, which is to be admired.
4. Say Carbon Yachts 29 E
Say Carbon Yachts are well known for their high performance and ultra lightweight carbon hull boats, with the SAY 29E being one of their most popular launches.
With an already very efficient hull design, they only needed to fit an electric powertrain, and for that task they chose the powerful 360kW Kreisel electric motor, creating an ideal electric boat, the 29 E.
3. Pure Watercraft Pontoon
Pure Watercraft relied on the $150 million investment and the accumulated knowledge of automotive giant GM to create their Pontoon, an electric boat that uses GM’s 66 kW battery pack.
The 25 foot boat brings a unique design, similar to a pontoon, capable of taking 10 passengers and cruise for 120 nm at 5 knots.
2. Magonis Wave e-550
Magonis is another young startup, this time based in Spain, but one that managed to offer what’s probably the most affordable electric boat on the market right now, the e-550.
It’s similar to a Mini Cooper in terms of size with its 16ft length, but the Wave e-550 can achieve some impressive performances thanks to its very lightweight resin-infused hull, and it costs between €33k and €69k, depending on the choice of powertrain.
1. Vita Lion
With Vita Lion we’re jumping from the lower end of the price spectrum right to high one. It’s an electric vessel with a base price of $1.5 million, but one that has the elegance of a true yacht and the power of four Tesla 3 models.
It can cruise for up to 10 hours at a speed of around 6-7 knots and can reach a top speed of 35 knots. The boat features an open layout with open stern and a double sunbed aft, similar to what most modern dayboats would offer.
Final thoughts
With these 20 of the best electric motorboats, you can tell the electric revolution is nearing at a very fast pace. For the early adopters, having electric choices even on water is a great and important step in the right direction.
Contents
- 20. Delphia 10
- 19. Frauscher 740 Mirage
- 18. Navier 27 Foiler
- 17. X-Shore 1
- 16. Riva El-Iseo
- 15. Four Winns H2e
- 14. Arc One
- 13. Alfastreet 28
- 12. Zin Z2R
- 11. Candela C-8
- 10. Hermes Speedster E
- 9. Spirit 35 Foiler
- 8. Correct Craft Ingenity 23E
- 7. Boesch 750 Portofino De Luxe
- 6. Marian M 800 Spyder
- 5. Q Yachts Q30
- 4. Say Carbon Yachts 29 E
- 3. Pure Watercraft Pontoon
- 2. Magonis Wave e-550
- 1. Vita Lion
