WaVeS #14 – Electric boat and boating news
Plugboats WAVES (Watts, Amps, Volts, Electrons) is an occasional collection of electric boat news and electric boating items that we have written about before and are updating, or items we are going to write about but are waiting for more information / developments – or items that are just tidbits you might find interesting.
So without further ado, here is WAVES #14, with electric boat and boating news about:
- Faroboats making TIME’s List of best inventions of 2023
- Electric water taxis services starting in Mumbai in December
- RAD Propulsion partnering with Hyrex on a hydrogen electric leisure boat
- Taiga Motors reaching an impressive milestone in producing its 1,000th off-road EV
- Wired Pontoons ordering 25 electric drives from Vision Marine Technologies
- Blue Innovations Group announcing the launch date for its flagship R30
Faroboats makes TIME’s list of Best Inventions of 2023
Faroboats, creators of the Faro Powerdock solar powered charging dock for electric boats, has been selected as one of TIME Magazine’s ‘Best Inventions of 2023.’
To compile the list, nominations are solicited from TIME’s editors and correspondents around the world. Special attention is paid to growing fields—such as AI, green energy, and sustainability – to put together list of potential inventions. TIME then evaluates each contender on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.
Of the new list, TIME’s editors write: “The result is a list of 200 groundbreaking inventions (and 50 special mention inventions)—including the world’s most powerful supercomputer, a game-changing entertainment venue, and a new shape—that are changing how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible.”
July 2023: Powerdock solar boat dock charges e-boats in 3 hours
Amaral Frazão, CEO of Faroboats, said “We could not reach the final quarter of our official launch year with better news than this! To make this list, with such global reach and projection, is the a great testament an dwonderful reward for our efforts and hard work over the past two years. Our goals was to build something that has never been built before. That poses unique challenges that need to be overcome on-the-fly, and I am very proud to say that all of our partners and the full team had a hands-on contribution to help the Faro Powerdock reach this achievement and recognition.”
Electric boats from Faroboats (including the 2022 Gussies Award-winning Faro 5) and the Faro Powerdock for electric or hybrid watercraft up to 12 meters, are now available in 16 Countries across four Continents.
Electric water taxis service set to launch in Mumbai, India
Electric water taxis are set to be deployed in Mumbai beginning in December, with the boats operating between the Gateway of India in South Mumbai and Belapur in Navi Mumbai route. Two 24-seater electric water taxis are presently undergoing trial runs in Goa while two six-seater water taxis are undergoing trials in Kochi. Infinity Harbour Service, a private water taxi operator assigned to operate services on the routes.
The electric vessels will replace existing diesel water taxis in operation that consume as much as 140 litres per hour. The electric version can run four hours continuously on one charging cycle. Top speed is 12 nautical miles. The boats complete the journey between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in an hour.
RAD Propulsion partners with Hyrex on new hydrogen electric boat
The UK’s RAD Propulsion has joined forces with Norway’s Hyrex on a 28 foot day cruiser that features Hyrex’s HyBoost range extender technology.
The Hyrex 28 will use the innovative low profile RAD 40 with swivelling lower unit (lower leg). Among its advantages are a compact size designed so that the motor doesn’t intrude onto the vessel’s deck space – the outboard remains behind the transom when tilted up.
Hyrex is a pioneering Norwegian hydrogen technology company that specializes in developing and delivering range extenders for boats from 25 to 60 feet. Earlier this year they announced the Hyrex 36 family of fast patrol vessels. The company’s engineers have collaborated with Norway’s leading hydrogen safety experts and have created unique patents and simplifications to address practical and safety-related challenges for hydrogen electric propulsion systems.
This is the company’s first venture into recreational boats. Eirik Malterud, Hyrex CEO, said: “With our focus on commercial boats we are pleased to have found a partner in RAD that delivers the robust electric solutions required for our future product development pipeline.”
The 1,000th electric vehicle from Taiga Motors is an Orca electric jetski
Taiga Motors Corporation, which was originally founded to manufacture electric snowmobiles, has reached a significant achievement with the production of its 1,000th electric vehicle (EV). In 2020 the company repurposed the snowmobile technology to create its Orca electric jetskis and this milestone 1,000th unit was an OrcaTM Performance.
Taiga’s CEO and co-founder Sam Bruneau is thrilled with this manufacturing triumph, saying, “There is nothing easy about producing world-first electric vehicles at scale. I am very proud of our team’s perseverance to push through short term pain in building the foundational production system for meaningful long-term gains in leading the off-road EV transition.”
The Orca Performance sports a 120 kW (≈160 hp) electric motor and delivers range of up to 2 hours. The torque and performance of the motor is matched with a sheet-molded composite hull developed by Taiga that marries straight line performance with impressive carving ability. The Performance can be charged in less than 40 minutes with a Level 3 charger, and in about 3 and a halfhours with a Level 2 unit.
Wired electric pontoons contracts for 25 Vision Marine Technologies drives.
Coming off the debut of the Wired 23R electric pontoon at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show (FLIBS) in October, the company has contracted with Vision Marine Technologies to supply 25 of their E-Motion 180e electric drive systems.
The electric pontoon has undergone extensive testing and sea trials over the past year, and the performance data, along with overwhelmingly positive feedback from FLIBS attendees, led to the signing of the order.
Curt Jensen, President of Wired, said “We are excited to collaborate with Vision Marine, starting with an order of 25 E-Motion™ systems. Over the past 12 months, our customers have increasingly been asking for eco-friendly alternatives. After evaluating various options, we found the E-Motion™ system to be the ideal fit for our clientele.”
Alex Mongeon, co-founder & CEO of Vision Marine, noted that “The pontoon market in the United States is significant, and pontoon users are prime candidates for the E-Motion™ 180E. Since 2021, several pontoon brands have been testing our systems, and we are honoured that Curt Jensen’s Wired Pontoons has joined this pioneering group.”
Wired Electric Pontoons Vision Marine Technologies
Blue Innovations Group set to unveil flagship R30 December 16
Blue Innovations Group (BIG) has announced the date for the launch of its flagship R30 model. BIG is based in Pinellas Park, Florida and the event will take place in nearby St. Petersburg on December 16, 2023.
“We are thrilled to launch the R30 in St. Petersburg, a community that has embraced our mission from the very beginning.” said BIG Founder and CEO John Vo. “The R30 is a testament to American innovation and the cutting-edge technologies emerging from the State of Florida.”
The R30, is a 30-foot electric power boat with a 221 kWh battery pack, 800 hp, and solar charging capability. Customers will have the opportunity to reserve an R30 for $1,000 with a ‘Blue Reservation’ which provides clients with standard delivery and $5,000 for a ‘BIG Reservation’ that provides them with access to one of the first 100 boats. BIG will begin R30 deliveries in Q3 2024.
