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How Fast Can An Electric Boat Go?

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7 Oct 2022 • Gregor Kuplenik

At least according to the Volkswagen Group, which is responsible for producing automobiles under these Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Ducati, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley, and other brand names, the electrification of the automobile industry is a given. The German automaker predicts that by the year 2030, 70 percent of the vehicles sold in Europe will be powered solely by batteries, with electric cars accounting for around half of all vehicles sold in China and the United States.

Michael Jost, a former head of group strategy for the Volkswagen Group, predicts that combustion engines will become obsolete shortly. Jost, who was in charge of supervising the essential electric initiative for the automaker, has recently shifted his focus to the waterfront. "After smart automobiles, smart boats will be the next step," he forecasts. Not only does Jost believe there is vast potential for electric boats, but he also believes that artificial intelligence and automation will become an integral part of the boating experience. Because he is now a member of the advisory board of Silent Yachts, an Austrian firm that constructs electric multihulls, he intends to rapidly advance his understanding of the application of electrification in automobiles to the marine industry. Even though pure electric boats only account for a fraction of the extremely small hybrid subgroup, Volkswagen's senior strategist is positive that they will eventually become an integral element of the industry's standard practice in the not-too-distant future.

Electric boats are still not very popular among boaters in the United States, primarily because of the limited power that batteries provide. In addition to having to travel at a slower speed to conserve energy, which, in the eyes of many boaters, is downright un-American, most boaters are terrified of becoming stranded at sea with no nearby support for several miles. There are already a few US builders offering electric designs. Still, these are mostly small tenders for puttering around the marina at five mph or, in the instance of Nautique's GS22E, a wake-surf boat with approximately two hours' worth of electricity. It is intended for use as a workout before going to the office, after which it may be returned to the dock to be refueled for another round of wake-surfing after work.

How Fast Can An Electric Boat Travel?

The speed varies greatly depending on the motor's size and the boat's type. Electric boats of a smaller size can reach speeds of approximately 10 knots, while larger ones can achieve speeds of approximately 20 knots. Even while this is the typical speed, leading manufacturers like RAND Boats can achieve speeds of above 50 knots.

COMPANIES Specializing in Electric Boats

Companies that manufacture electric boats are gaining popularity as a result of the advancement of technology. These boats are already very close to being on par with conventional combustion boats, and in some respects, they are even superior to them. Sailing on an electric boat enables you to avoid contributing to air pollution, enjoy peace, and require nearly no maintenance while having no negative impact on the natural world. With their cutting-edge technology on lightweight hull designs and their electric boat motors, which are the world's first to come equipped with sterndrive, RAND Boats has established itself as the obvious frontrunner among the various electric boat manufacturers across the world. RAND provides not just the quickest electric recreational boats available on the market but also the boats with the longest range. They do it while maintaining a luxurious style inspired by Scandinavia.

ELECTRIC BOAT RANGE

The range of an electric boat depends on several parameters, the most important of which are the size of the battery, the construction of the hull, and the speed at which the boat is traveling. The most cutting-edge types of electric boats, such as those developed by RAND, can achieve a cruising speed of more than 200 nautical miles and a planning speed of 30–50 nautical miles. There is a limit to everything, but this range is greater than most boaters can travel in a single day. If you charge your boat before bed at night, you shouldn't have any problems with its range when you go out for the day.

Electric boats are likely to improve in range, and efficiency as new battery technology and hull construction techniques are developed. As a result, electric boats will become an increasingly appealing choice for boat owners looking for an environmentally friendly, fume-free, and silent way to enjoy time on the water.

Electric boat breaks new speed record at 109 mph with Vision Marine’s new outboard motor.

For the first time, an electric boat has reached a top speed of more than 100 miles per hour. Vision Marine Technologies (NASDAQ: VMAR), to demonstrate the capabilities of its most recent electric outboard motor, has set a new speed record of 109 miles per hour on the sea. Vision Marine is best recognized for its ability to construct, sell, and rent electric boats; however, the company is also developing the most powerful outboard electric powertrain, which will fit most boats originally designed to accommodate outboard motors.

The company collaborated with Hellcat Powerboats to install its E-MotionTM electric outboard powertrain in a catamaran hull measuring 32 feet. It was constructed expressly to make room for the necessary battery banks.

At the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout over the weekend, Vision Marine debuted its brand new electric speed boat to break its record for the fastest speed achieved by an electric boat and become the first electric boat to reach a speed of one hundred miles per hour.

Meet The World’s Fastest Electric Powerboat

Vision Marine Technologies, a producer of electric boats, has destroyed the record for the fastest electric boat in the world with their V32 vessel, which broke the 100-mile-per-hour speed barrier.

The company, which is situated in Canada, manufactures a variety of electric boats in addition to an electric outboard motor that has a capacity of 70 kWh and 134 kW.

Vision Marine collaborated with Hellcat Powerboards, a boat manufacturer, to develop the V32, a catamaran hull measuring 32 feet in length constructed expressly to handle the batteries required to power the company's E-Motion electric outboards.

At the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the Vision Marine V32 reportedly reached a high speed of 109 miles per hour, allowing it to claim the world's fastest boat and break the previous record.

Electric Boats - everything you need to know

When looking to purchase an electric motor, what factors are important to take into account? Electric motors make use of the most recent technological advancements. This article will give you an outline of the most critical topics surrounding your boat. Before we get started, let's begin with a few quick facts about the many types of boats and the shapes of their hulls:

  • Speed
  • Electric boating capabilities and performance
  • Use of power and resources
  • Time spent traveling and available power

What Does The Speed Depend on?

The speed is determined primarily by the boat itself, and contrary to popular belief, the engine plays a considerably less role in the equation. Therefore, whether you have a motor that runs on dirty combustion or on pure electricity, it makes no difference. An internal combustion engine of the same nominal power can be compared to an electric motor in that the electric motor can bring a sliding boat up to the same speed as the internal combustion engine.

Gliding can certainly be accomplished with a boat, provided that the vessel in question has a hull shape that is well-suited for the activity and that the installed motor is powerful enough. However, you should remember that traveling at fast speeds also requires a significant amount of energy, but we will discuss this topic in further detail later.

Power consumption

Achieving the same speed level as before would require nearly eight times the amount of power. Because of this, it is recommended to focus on maintaining an economical speed, particularly when using electric motors, to obtain a longer amount of time spent driving. In most instances, this is even faster than the maximum speed allowed.

Travel Time And Capacity

The maximum amount of time that may be traveled is proportional to the battery's capacity. The longer you plan to be behind the wheel, the more fuel you will require. If your battery is dead, the only way you can get to the next port is if other boats pull you in. From personal experience, I can say that most boat owners are friendly and eager to assist. It wouldn't hurt to have a long rope on board wouldn't hurt as a safety measure. However, there must first be a boat in the immediate vicinity. Therefore, it is preferable to have an excess capacity rather than an inadequate one.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are electric outboard motors worth it?

While trolling motors are only effective at low speeds, an electric outboard motor may propel a boat at high speeds, provided the boat is not too large for the motor. Electric outboard motors are a viable alternative to gas-powered outboards in many situations. In addition to having sufficient power, they are less cumbersome, more space-efficient, and more dependable.

2. What's the fastest electric boat?

At the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the Vision Marine V32 reportedly reached a high speed of 109 miles per hour, allowing it to claim the world's fastest boat and break the previous record. Before its record-breaking run, the V32 underwent several months of testing in Florida, during which it was constructed from the ground up.

3. Is there an electric boat for the lake?

To answer your question in a nutshell: yes, there are many different types of electric boats, and because they do not produce any emissions when sailing, they are ideal for lakes and city harbors.

4. Do electric boats make sense?

Electric boats provide several advantages over gasoline boats, including much cheaper operating costs, reduced levels of maintenance and upkeep, silent motors, an absence of the smell of exhaust fumes, and no negative environmental impact. They can meet the needs of most boaters in terms of range and speed with clever systems that have never been seen on traditional boats, thanks to new technology on batteries and motors. Therefore, switching to electric power makes complete and utter sense.

Wrapping Up

Electric boat propulsion offers many benefits, but the most important ones are that it has low operating costs, low maintenance costs, silent engines, no smell of exhaust fumes, smart boating, and it does not cause any damage to the environment when sailing.

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