More and more people have discovered the advantages of electric boating and choose a boat that is ready for the future. In this blog, we, Hylke and Sarah from Team Natural Yachts, would like to tell you more about what's involved when buying an electric boat. Read more about the range and speed of an electric motorboat. Moreover, we will explain the possibilities to boat independent from shore power.
Are you ready for your own Tesla on the water? The electric car has made its entry and more and more people are familiar with electric driving. The boat should not lag behind. We have to be honest, once you have made the step to electric mobility you can hardly go back. The comfort, the ease, the economic advantages, the zero emissions, the user-friendliness; the advantages have probably been noticed. We, Natural Yachts, offer modern yachts with state-of-the-art technology, the first zero-emission line of Northman motor yachts.
What is the range and speed of an electric boat? How long and at what speed you can boat with an electric boat is perhaps one of the first questions you ask yourself. We base the electric configuration on your boating area, boating profile, special requirements, and the capabilities of the boat. How long you can cruise depends on the size of the battery pack and the speed that you are cruising at.
If we take the Northman 1200 Electric as the one of our demonstration yacht in our experience fleet, we are talking about a maximum boating range of 20 hours with a range of 140 km at a speed of 7 km/h. See table below. This solely involves the energy from the battery pack, so this is without recharging, without using solar panels and without the fuel cell range extender.
Boating range Northman 1200 Electric - extra long range Speed @ 7km/h ca 20 hours, range 140 km Speed @ 9km/h ca 13 hours, range 115 km Speed @ 11km/h ca 9 hours, range 100 km Speed @ 12km/h ca 7 hours, range 85 km
"Yes, I would like to see the specifications of the Northman 1200 Electric", in which also the possibilities for a smaller boating range are indicated.
Does the 9-metre electric motorboat offer such a long range? If we take the Northman Nexus Revo 870 Electric in our experience fleet as an example, this yacht can certainly reach 140 km. Again, only the battery pack is taken into account without recharging. The range of the Nexus Revo 870 Electric can also be increased with solar panels and/or a fuel cell range extender.
Boating range Northman Nexus Revo 870 Electric – extra long range
Speed @ 7km/h ca 20 hours, range 140 km Speed @ 9km/h ca 13 hours, range 115 km Speed @ 11km/h ca 9 hours, range 100 km
"Yes, I would like to see the specifications of the Northman Nexus Revo 870 Electric", in which the options for a smaller boating range are also indicated.
As you can conclude from the above data, you can comfortably take our electric yachts on larger trips, to the sea or to the south of France. Do you only boat on inland lakes or is there a lot of shore power available and will a smaller battery pack be sufficient? Request our specifications for a complete overview of the different battery packs. We will be pleased to advise you about the possibilities!
Independent of shore power Do you wish to be independent of shore power? It is possible to add a range extender to the electric configuration. The range extender produces the energy for the batteries. We offer two types of range extenders; a traditional diesel generator, also available as a back-up generator or a zero-emission and silent solution in the form of a fuel cell. The Direct Methanol fuel cell produces green energy on board allowing you to boat independent of shore power.
Charging Charging the electric boat is easy because you do not need to find a petrol station. Neither do you need to find a special charging station as with an electric car. In harbours and at municipal moorings there is almost always shore power available.
You can charge your electric motorboat whenever is convenient for you, for example at night when you are sleeping or when you are moored in a village to do some shopping. In this way you make double use of your 'mooring time'.
Economic advantages Besides being user-friendly, an electric motor is also more efficient and is more economical in use. In addition, the annual maintenance costs of the electric motor are negligible compared to combustion engines. Some municipalities, such as the municipality of Amsterdam, give a discount on a berth if the boat is electrically powered.
Summary: Buying an electric boat, what's involved?
- Electric boating is quiet and clean
- Up to 140 km boating range on the battery pack ‘alone’
- Boating range can be extended in addition to the battery pack with solar panels, diesel generator, back-up generator, or a zero-emission fuel cell.
- Independent from shore power with the Direct Methanol Fuel Cell.
- Charging is easy, there is no need to look for a special charging station.
- Shore power is available in all harbours and at municipal berths.
- Economic advantages; more economical in use & less maintenance costs. In some places, such as Amsterdam, there is a discount on your berth.
Range Advice We have over 10 years of experience in the field of electric boating and maritime energy solutions. Do you have questions about an electric boat or would you like to determine your range? Please contact us, we are happy to advise you! Please let us know in which boat you are interested, your boating area & boating profile and other wishes to sales@naturalyachts.com
The Northman 1200 Electric motor yacht is available from € 247,049 excl. VAT & excl. transport.
The Northman Nexus Revo 870 Electric motorboat is available from € 89,470 excl. VAT & excl. transport. Contact us for a visit or to request the specifications!
If you have any questions about the Northman yachts or electric boating, feel free to ask, we are happy to help! With kind regards, Sarah and Hylke - Team Natural Yachts