New Groupe Beneteau electric and hybrid systems announced at Cannes
On the eve of the opening of the 43rd Cannes Yachting Festival, Groupe Beneteau invited 150 selected guests to their “On The Horizon 2021” event to share new developments and latest product innovations across the company’s lines including Beneteau, Excess and Delphia.
Among those innovations are the introduction of electric and hybrid propulsion systems for all three brands. Beneteau and Excess are focussed on sailboats, while Delphia is one of the company’s power boat divisions.
Martin Schemke, the General Director of Delphia, said:
“Our vision is that 100% electric propulsion will usher in a new phase in boating and our mission will be to create the leadership in electric boating on inland waters. This new chapter is defined by a mindful approach to cruising.”
Delphia: electrically propelled boats only by 2024
Delphia was acquired in 2018 and appears destined to be the Beneteau electric brand. When Mr. Schemke was appointed in March, moving over from Jeanneau and Prestige, the parent company said “the Delphia brand will address the inland navigation segment with an offer of electric boats. A connoisseur of this type of navigation, for several months already, Martin has been enthusiastically participating in the development of this new brand and its first models to explore nature in a sustainable way.”
The new Delphia site is not yet launched as of this writing, but this video on the site says “Today, we are committed to becoming the leader in the electric boat market, and to building only electrically propelled boats by 2024.”
The first electric motorboat models will be presented in January 2022.
Beneteau electric sailboats – Oceanis 30.1, Excess 15
A Beneteau Oceanis 46 that had been modified with electric propulsion by ZF Group was one of the nominees in the ‘Customized / DIY’ category of the Gussies electric boat awards this year. With this announcement it appears Beneteau will be joining other boatbuilders, like Elan and Arcona in offering electric as an option or standard on a range of sailing boat models.
The new Beneteau electric technologies for sailing boats are being shown on the Excess 15 sailing catamaran at Port Canto during the Festival and a Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 sailboat will be displayed at the Grand Pavois in La Rochelle, France and Barcelona, Spain.
Jérôme de Metz, Groupe Beneteau Chairman and CEO, opened On The Horizon by stating that “The epidemic and its consequences have accelerated the various transitions already underway.
There are new expectations and user habits, new ways of travelling and latest technologies: a new world of pleasure boating and marine leisure is coming into view on the horizon, and all of us throughout Groupe Beneteau are positioning ourselves to be the leading players in this new world.”
Beyond the electric and hybrid news, there were also announcements about Beneteau brands Prestige, Four Winns and Wellcraft powerboats as well as the Seanapps mobile app connected boat solution.
