New electric pontoon boat from Pure Watercraft
In the first product coming out of its partnership with General Motors, Pure Watercraft introduced its new electric pontoon boat today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
At 24’7″ (7.5m) long, it can carry up to 10 people and is available with a single or twin Pure Watercraft electric outboards. The electricity source is a GM battery pack of up to 64kWh and top speed is 23 mph (37 km/h). Pricing is expected to start at US$45,000 (single outboard) and $60,000 (twin outboard).
By some estimations there were about 75,000 pontoon boats sold in the US last year, and Pure Watercraft says the segment is by growing more than 20% a year. Quiet, no-fumes electric motors are perfect to meet the needs of the people who are picking them up.
In the news release announcing the boat, the company said “Pontoon boating is booming because people want to get out on the water and socialize with family and friends in the great outdoors. This boat gives them a more enjoyable experience, free from engine noise and the hassles of fuel and maintenance, at a price comparable to that of a conventional pontoon boat. This unprecedented value is a result of our relentless focus on efficiency.”
Pure Watercraft Founder and CEO Andy Rebele says the boat’s range “will exceed that of nearly every other recreational electric boat. This custom hull design takes pontoon boating to a new level with more than a 20% efficiency advantage versus a conventional pontoon hull.”
Some typical use cases on the Pure Watercraft website show boaters can expect a remaining battery charge of around 35% after a 7 hour “day on the lake, including lunch and some tubing and cocktail cruising” or about 50% after an hour and a half of “taking the pontoon boat out, picking up 2 friends and cruising while enjoying the sunset”.
New electric pontoon boat unveiled 44 days after $150M GM investment.
Pure Watercraft was founded in 2011 by Rebele when he set out on his goal to make boating quieter and cleaner by putting an electric motor in a used 21-foot Cobalt he bought on Craigslist. Over the past decade the team he put together developed an outboard motor and battery system that wowed tournament bass fishermen and set the record at the Electric Boat Association of America’s Wye Island Challenge.
In December of 2020 the company had a successful funding round of $US 37.5M and shortly thereafter purchased Elux Marine of Minnesota, who had developed a distinctive luxury electric pontoon boat.
The big news for Pure Watercraft and for electric boating in general arrived in November of 21 when it was announced that GM had taken a $150 million dollar stake and would be working with the Pure Watercraft team to develop new products
Dan Nicholson, GM vice president of Global Electrification, Controls, Software and Electronics said “Building upon GM’s existing efforts to strategically deploy our technology across rail, truck and aerospace industries, the combined expertise of these two enterprises should result in future zero-emissions marine product offerings, providing consumers with more choice than before.”
Now, just 44 days later, their work is on display in Las Vegas. Pre-orders are being accepted on the company’s website with a fully refundable $100 deposit. First deliveries are expected in late 2022. In addition to the new pontoon boat, Pure Watercraft also offers a Bass Boat package, two RIB packages and a Rowing Coach Boat. Their 25kW electric outboard can also be purchased separately.
