From A new generation of electric motorboats take to the water (The Economist):
A number of manufacturers are vying to become the marine equivalent of Tesla […]
Rand, a Danish firm, has developed a range of traditional-looking electric motorboats. Zin Boats, a Seattle-based company, has two electric models, a tender and a five-seater speedboat. For more leisurely cruising, Serenity Yachts, a Cayman Islands boat-builder, offers a 19.4-metre hybrid with 30 solar panels on the roof. In electric mode the panels will power the craft along at a steady pace provided, of course, the sun is shining.
Candela, a Swedish company, is taking a different approach. Its six-seater Candela Seven (pictured) uses hydrofoils to raise its hull completely out of the water. This reduces friction, says Gustav Hasselskog, Candela’s founder. That, in turn, cuts energy use by around 80%, which should help reassure any skippers with range anxiety.
