In the race to find the most sustainable solutions in the mobility sector, the boating world is not standing on the sidelines. The entire industry is aligned with the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the EU Green Deal, which aims for climate neutrality by 2050. Even though worldwide shipping accounts for 1.7% of total greenhouse gas emissions and only 0.22% is attributable to boating, yacht builders are making substantial efforts to use alternative propulsion methods. As in the automotive sector, going electric seems to be the solution of the day. For the big yachts, this translates into offering models that use electric power for short trips and guaranteeing services for yachts at anchor, while a lot of the medium-to-small shipyards are going “all electric.” At recent boat shows in Cannes, Genoa, Düsseldorf, Palma, and even Venice, we have wide-ranging new options. There’s no doubt about it: boats with electric motors powered by rechargeable batteries instead of internal combustion engines greatly reduce emissions of harmful substances in the water and the atmosphere. They also let boats sail in more strictly regulated waters (like lakes or protected areas of the sea). Consider how amazing it feels to sail a boat in silence, with fewer vibrations, and how this protects both our own health and that of aquatic fauna. The options come in all shapes and sizes. The time has come for us to be kinder to nature, so why not do it in grand style?
FB272 M/Y Luminosity by Benetti Yachts
The Benetti Luminosity, launched in 2020, with its 107 meters, is the largest Giga yacht with a hybrid propulsion engine. It is, in every respect, a yacht for the 21st century. The Azimut/Benetti Group began investing in finding solutions for reducing CO2 emissions twenty years ago. Today, half of its fleet are low emission yachts, which reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20-30% compared to similar boats with traditional propulsion. An integrated 3MWh battery pack allows all main Luminosity systems to operate without the aid of generators for up to 12 hours, in total absence of noise and vibration.
BMW and the boat manufacturer Tyde presented The Icon at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2023. The Icon redefines the relationship between an electrically powered watercraft’s dimensions, top speed and range through the use of “hydrofoils” that reduce energy requirements by up to 80 percent compared to a conventional hull: the wings below the water level support the vehicle while the hull floats above the water surface. Two 100 kW electric motors each convert the energy content of 240 kWh provided by six batteries from the BMW i3 into a range of over 50 nautical miles (100 km) at 24 knots (45 km/h). The maximum speed is 30 knots (55 km/h). The body of the craft consists of a very flat hull and central support for the transparent architecture with a prism-like shape.
The Icon by BMW & Tyde
SQ240I by Capoforte
The Capoforte SQ240i is the Italian brand’s first electric model. After the success of its Italian premiere at the Genoa Boat Show in 2022 (where it won the Design Innovation Award 2022 in the category “Motorboats up to 10m”) it also met with praise at Boot Düsseldorf 2023. Equipped with the Molabo ISCAD V50-50 kW inboard, it is 7.38m long, 2.46m wide, and can carry up to 10 people, packing a new sailing philosophy into less than eight meters. Designed by Christian Grande, its main feature is the comfortable deck created by its wide, rounded bow. The entire hull was made using infusion technology.
The Spanish De Antonio E23 was chosen as a service boat for the America’s Cup 2024 in Barcelona. With a fully electric engine, the catamaran offers the speed and stability needed for assistance at sea. The E23 is a boat of 7.20 meters in length and assisted with a foil integrated between its hulls that provides additional lift by reducing drag, increasing speed, reducing consumption and extending its range. It is a very balanced model offering good performance, fantastic seakeeping, great comfort, more than reasonable speed, consumption, and price. The Torqeedo engine allows for a maximum speed of 30 knots. With a 50kW/80HP battery, the charging time is 2 hours with a fast charger and 8-10 hours with a standard one.
E23 by De Antonio Yacht
eD 32 c-ultra by eD-TEC
The German company eD-TEC has unveiled an all-new, high-performance, all-electric RIB. Named the eD 32 c-ultra, the new model is based on a proven Akermann design, modified in the aft section to cater to eD-TEC’s revolutionary eD-QDrive 1 propulsion units, surface drives, eD-Technology Stack and battery pack. Measuring 9.5 meters LOA with a 3.2-metre beam and just 0.84-metre draft, the new RIB offers the perfect platform for lake and coastal exploring alike. A 30-knot cruise and 50-knot top speed deliver zero-emission, zero-noise thrill rides, while an optional jet thruster system means the boat is super maneuverable in tight spaces, making it perfect for superyacht guest operations. The boat will be delivered in early summer this year.
The Dutch shipyard Feadship has unveiled its latest creation, Project 1012. Designed by Sinot Design and Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects, this 91.80 m yacht is now in the final stages of fitting out as it prepares for sea trials. It is the first Feadship yacht to carry full Hybrid Electric Class notation. The generators or batteries generate the required electrical power for low-speed navigation, enabling efficient and eco-friendly cruising. This advanced propulsion system incorporates two main engines and shaft-driven fixed-pitch propellers, coupled with PTO/PTI electric motors of 560kW each and a 1MW Li-ion battery bank. In conventional diesel propulsion mode, the e-motors function as shaft generators, producing electricity to serve the hotel loads or recharge the battery bank.
Project 1012 by Feadship
Porsche 850 Phantom by Frauscher
Austrian shipyard Frauscher offers an exclusive edition of 25 models of the Porsche 850 Phantom in collaboration with the German car manufacturer. The hull is 8.67 m long and 2.49 m wide. To develop this new model Porsche used its cars’ technology for use on water (with the same components as the Premium Platform Electric or PPE on which the new Porsche Macan is based). Onboard we have the typical Porsche steering wheel redesigned with nautical-friendly materials. The boat can be recharged with over 250 kW of direct current at fast-charging stations, and a battery at 10% can be charged to 80% in less than 30 minutes. The optimum cruising speed is 22 knots, and the maximum is 46 knots (85 km/h).
Greenline yachts have delivered more than 1,000 units since the shipyard first opened its doors in 2008 driven by a passion for the sea and a determination to make yachting more sustainable. The Greenline 33 was its debut model; today the range runs to eight models from 39ft to 58ft LOA. They all have “superdisplacement” hulls developed to provide the smoothest ride, stability, and efficiency at both lower and higher speeds. This gives the yachts impressive range and economy. Operating in highly efficient displacement mode at 4-7 knots, it is possible to cover 20-25 nautical miles under electric power alone. For longer passages, the diesel engines can be engaged to provide more range and up to 25 knots, also charging the batteries while sailing. Batteries cover 48 hours of aircon and hotel loads.
58 Fly by Greenline Yachts
El-Iseo by Riva
As part of its sustainability efforts, Riva has launched a new E-Luxury segment, Riva El-Iseo, the brand’s first fully electric speedboat. It was designed by Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta, founders of Officina Italiana Design, in collaboration with the Strategic Product Committee chaired by Engineer Piero Ferrari and the Engineering Department of Ferretti Group. At 8.4m long, it has a maximum beam of 2.5 m and an elegant, refined design, just like the much-loved Iseo from which it inherits the hull design, only with a new deck, cockpit, and dashboard. Equipped with a Parker GVM310 fully electric motor with a power of 250 kW and a peak power of 300 kW, it can sail at a cruising speed of 25 knots and a maximum speed of 40 knots. Its lithium batteries recharge from 20% to 80% in 75 minutes.
Rossinavi has recently launched M/YSeawolf X, a hybrid-electric catamaran’s exterior architecture designed by Fulvio De Simoni Yacht Design, while New York-based practice Meyer Davis Studio is responsible for the design of the interiors. This Rossinavi fleet yacht bears the BluE label: its pioneering vision through hybrid-electric yachts propelled by batteries and solar panels, enabling them to operate in electric mode for day trips 100% of the time and sustain electric mode for 80% of transatlantic voyages. Seawolf X is a unique vessel that combines attractive design with environmentally friendly solutions. Two diesel generators can quickly recharge batteries and the vessel can recharge at the shore power in only five hours.
M/YSeawolf X by Rossinavi
50Steel by Sanlorenzo
At 49.99 m long with a beam of 9.40 m, the Sanlorenzo 50Steel is the first superyacht in the world to use the modular reformer-fuel cell system. Developed in collaboration with Siemens Energy, it transforms green methanol into hydrogen and then electricity to power all the yacht’s hotel systems (when the yacht is at anchor) without needing to store the hydrogen on board. This solution allows the ship to generate a maximum of 100kW of electricity with the engine off. The system, which is totally carbon neutral, vastly increases the amount of time a boat can anchor without consuming combustible diesel, covering around 90% of the typical time a superyacht is used with zero emissions. The exterior is by Zuccon International Project and the interior is by Piero Lissoni.
Silent Yachts has launched its first solar electric catamaran out of its own in its shipyard in Fano. The first unit is a model from the Silent 60 series equipped with 42 solar panels for 16 kWp of solar energy that fuels two 2×250 kW electric motors. Thanks to a battery with a capacity of up to 210 KWh it can sail efficiently with zero emissions and powered only by solar energy for up to 100 thousand nautical miles a day for weeks. Its under-one-meter draft also allows the Silent 60 to sail in shallow bays. The four bright guest cabins on the lower deck (the different layouts allow for up to six cabins plus one equipment cabin) include a spacious master suite in the bow.
Silent 60 by Silent Yachts
80 Sunreef Power Eco by Sunreef Yachts
As a winner of the International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2024, presented at the latest Cannes Yachting Festival, and the German Innovation Award 2024, the all-electric 80 Sunreef Power Eco attests to Sunreef’s commitment to sustainability and the use of cutting-edge green technology. Using a revolutionary solar power system, electric propulsion and custom-tailored batteries, it redefines the motor yacht experience by offering new levels of luxury, silence, and energy efficiency. The latest 80 Sunreef Power Eco has two electric 180kW engines and a 330kWh ultralight battery bank. The yacht also uses Sunreef Yachts’ revolutionary solar power system, with solar cells built into the composite bodywork to achieve unrivaled energy efficiency. The 80 Sunreef Power Eco is a sailor catamaran version.
