Punxsutawney Phil, the esteemed groundhog, predicted a short winter a couple of months ago and I am here to claim he was correct. So correct that as I sit here typing at dusk, drawing inspiration from a newly cracked can of pop, it is 85 and sunny enough to burn my fair skin. It’s officially summer in my book. Thinking about what to discuss technology-wise during the summer, I pondered air conditioning, refrigeration, and gee whiz. I must be an exciting acquaintance. I got it! What if we talked about the combination of electricity and water, what could go wrong? Unbeknownst to me, EVs have cracked into the boating space.
Diving into what could potentially be your EV boat, I needed an astute analyst to break down the options for me (i.e., ChatGPT). We stumbled upon what could be a perfect day boat for the lake or a good escape boat if you are in the mood to reenact Jason Statham’s water stunt scene from “The Italian Job.” It is a 740 hp, approximately 1000+lb ft of instantaneous torque Voltari 260 Electric. I want to discuss the pros and cons of electric boats in general while explicitly thinking about this carbon fiber blue speeder.
Pros:
-Electric boats are quiet. Virtually silent, you can talk to others while the boat is in motion without yelling. Perfect for community lakes as well. It would not disturb nearby residents or distant wildlife.
-Low maintenance cost and time. Electricity is much cheaper than ethanol-free gasoline, not to mention there are no oil filters, spark plugs, or typical engine parts such as a transmission to blow out and need replacing.
Cons:
-Larger initial cost. The boat mentioned above retails for around $450,000, which is around $150k-$200k more than a comparable combustion engine boat.
-Not as powerful over longer periods of time. The Voltari has a top speed of 55 mph. However, the top cruising speed is 30 mph, so the battery does not overheat.
The charging challenges. Infrastructure for EV boats is certainly not as widespread as fill-up stations on your local docks. Then, if/when you do happen to find a charger, the boat can take quite a few hours to juice up.
I believe the advancements in EV boating will have a positive impact on people.
We love the freedom of choice and more options, along with the motivation for people to continue to innovate technologies that can be applicable to a wide range of products. We have never lived in a more advanced time. Boat typically stands for bring out another thousand, but could electrifying them debunk that reality?
May 2024
