All electric Riva unveiled on 180th anniversary of legendary boatyard
The exquisite Monaco Yacht Club was a fitting site for the debut of the first all electric Riva runabout – the El-Iseo – launched to celebrate the 180th anniversary of one of the world’s most famous boatyards.
Group CEO Alberto Galassi said “El-Iseo is a glorious new chapter in the challenge that only Riva can experience every day, that of combining its legendary history with cutting-edge technology to generate beauty and style that will never go out of fashion.”
“The El-Iseo project is extremely important to us, which is why we decided to preview it here at the Monaco Yacht Club, a natural choice for as it is a place where ecological sensibility has been at work for years though initiatives like the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Rendezvous and Energy Boat Challenge.
The new model is the all-electric version of the 27 foot Iseo, named for the lake where young shipwright Pietro Riva first started a small shop in 1842 to repair local fishing boats which had been ravaged by a ferocious storm. By the mid 20th century succeeding generations had made the name synonymous with celebrities, la dolce vita and Italian style. The company was purchased by The Ferretti Group in 2000.
The El-Iseo has all the seductive style, hull, deck and colours of the much loved and already Iseo, which was introduced in 2011. The only difference is that the roar of the internal combustion engine is replaced with the quiet of an exhaust and emission-free 300kW electric motor by Parker Hannifin.
The El-Iseo is a stern drive like the original with the Parker GVM310 delivering a cruising speed of 25 knots and a self-limited top speed of 40 knots. As with all electric motors, the high torque of the PMAC (Permanent Magnet C) motor gives an acceleration curve significantly steeper than that of a similarly sized boat powered by an internal combustion engine.
The energy for all this comes from a lithium battery pack supplied by Podium Advanced Technologies, who built a battery for the Blizz Primatist race car which broke seven FIA world land speed records in May of 2021.
Integration of onboard systems, such as transmission, throttles and onboard control systems in general, including management of driving and battery charging modes, has been assigned to Ferretti Group partner Xenta. For the helm station they have designed a fully digital, touchscreen dashboard that mimics analogue displays.
The El-Isao has three drive modes – Allegro, Andante and Adagio – the tempos of classical music – that ‘allude to the tradition of past Rivas’. In the Adagio mode, the 150kWh battery packs can deliver up to 10 hours of autonomy/range. The packs are configured in two independent blocks located between the engine and the stern seating.
It probably doesn’t need to be said, but we’ll say it anyway, that the El-Iseo is every bit as sleek, elegant and exquisite as you would expect from one of the world’s iconic boatyards.
The El-Isao will be built at the original Riva yard in Sarnico, which is officially protected as an environmental heritage treasure. The founder’s office still stands in the middle of the work shed.
Complementing this heritage is an ultra high tech engineering department working with the sensibilities of designer Mauro Micheli, Officina Italiana Design, the studio that exclusively designs the whole Riva fleet.
CEO Galassi put it well at the unveiling of the first all-electric Riva day boat “Now 180 years old, Riva is still leading the field with the credibility and visionary force that only a contemporary legend can draw on.”
