What a difference a year and a half makes! Only eighteen months ago I wrote an article for this magazine about Electric Outboard Motors. At the time, there were certainly a number of manufacturers offering electric outboards, but inboard electric motors were not as evident. Fast forward. Fortuitously, since Part 1 of our Inboard Electric Boat Propulsion series was published (March/April 2023), I was able to attend the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show in late March. Wandering the show to research the latest news in regards to the state of local and international marine industries in regards to Inboard Electric Motors, I could not help but notice how many outboard companies, not just the specialist niche market companies like Torqeedo, ePropulsion and Evoy, to name but a few; but also traditional outboard motor companies like Mercury, have entered the electric outboard market. And, believe it or not, some of these electric outboards are the equivalent of 300 Hp fossil fuel engines!
But back to electric inboards. Having researched and written about the status of the Inboard Electric Boat Propulsion market and, having learned how fast and how far this market has progressed, I was still not prepared for the plethora of manufacturers offering practical electric inboard alternatives. Even more impressive was how many boat builders, and their customers, are embracing electric technology options. As with cars, a decade ago, “petrol heads” in the marine market, until recently, were still in the majority. This is rapidly changing and many boat builders I spoke to at the show, where electric propulsion is now a viable alternative to conventional ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) propulsion for their vessels, are incorporating electric technology. On the consumer side, there is an increasing demand from customers to go green with their boats, wanting to reduce their own personal carbon footprint, reduce the demand for fossil fuels and as a bonus, enjoy the quiet of electric propulsion while also eliminating the smell of diesel or petrol fumes from their ICE exhaust.
In my last article I stated that we would be looking into the progress of some of the companies mentioned in Part 1 and explore more about the actual boats that they have, in reality, built or are building and on which they have, or will be installing electric propulsion systems available from the manufacturers also previously mentioned.
However, a quick note before you continue reading, for those that still struggle a bit with electric terminology versus ICE terminology.
Therefore if a fossil fuel boat hypothetically holds 100 litres of diesel and you burn 2 litres an hour at 10 knots; on a full tank you can run for 50 hours or 500 nm.
An electric powered boat is very similar. If you know your boat has 100 kWh of available energy in its batteries and you use 2kW at 10 knots; on a full battery you can run for 50 hours or 500 nm (assuming 100% efficiency).
Putting things in comparison, I recently read a new hybrid electric car review article and they quoted the power of the vehicle as being 103kW/220Nm. If you’re still a fossil fuel thinking person this vehicle equates to 138 HP/162 lb/ft. of power. Got it?
Earthling (EV) Ltd has come a long way in the short period of time since I first mentioned them in Part 1 of this series. In chatting with John McGettigan recently, he stated that Earthling does not view the Pacific market (NZ, Australia and the Pacific Islands) as mature yet and thus far he has primarily focused on Europe, and partnered with European suppliers, even though boat and systems were designed and implemented from NZ.
While analysing markets with the most potential for the “Earthling E40”, John felt that geographical areas with calm seas and interesting populated topography, like that of the Mediterranean and South East Asia (SEA) should become his target markets.
Interestingly, as I put the finishing touches to this article, some breaking news. Earthling has just entered a partnership in South Korea which will bring the E40 and E-THOS system to the huge developing pleasure boat market there. As would be expected, John it is extremely excited with the prospect of exporting NZ technology to a very high tech and advanced electrical propulsion (think Hyundai and Kia) focused country such as South Korea. Having spent considerable time along the southern coastline of South Korea during my time with Vetus-Maxwell, I can attest to the suitability of this being an area with generally calm seas, great cruising grounds and an affluent, sea orientated population.
Being the Eco-Warrior that he is, John intuitively recognised that electric boat propulsion was the future even though he didn’t fully comprehend, at the time, the full capabilities of marine E-Propulsion. However, without even a nod to existing offerings he adopted a true blank sheet approach and went all out to utilise this new technology.
Although John’s focus was Europe and SEA, since logging approximately 500NM this past summer in New Zealand, some interesting observations were made, proving the E40 is a very capable Hauraki Gulf Cruiser with no ports of call necessary.
His conclusions can be concisely bullet pointed as follows:
Extended stays without infrastructure didn’t matter. There was no need to plug in or fuel up. Solar and the highly efficient backup generation system coped seamlessly.
Although daily passage making in excess of 30NM required Hybrid mode, the diesel DC Genverters used only 3-4Ltrs p/hr, continuing to drive the boat and complete the daily voyage legs quietly at the sweet spot of 10-12 knots, eliminating range anxiety and arriving with plenty of house power for the evening on a silent ship.
While the hull is very light (3600 kg); mini keels, deep rudders and the huge high torque E-Props kept the boat surprisingly well planted. As with EVs on the road (compare 1600cc to 5000cc V8 size, weight, running cost etc.), the power available on board well exceeds that necessary; which at sea is a real safety net. The footprint is the same and there is no advantage in having the extra power; compare carrying a 5 litre V8 engine in terms of weight, running cost etc. to a 1.6 litre motor, which is all that is necessary 90% of the time.
Even turbulent seas where not so bad. On a return passage from Kawau Island with over 20 knots of wind and two metre swells, although not pleasant, the crew felt safe, confident and comfortable. With all the drive aft, lifting the knife edged bows through the seas, the voyage was not a slog and the E40 pointed exactly where one needed to go.
Something pleasantly unexpected was also discovered. In a downwind blow, the E40 surfs really easily, giving the feeling of “Sailing Without Sails”, while still feeling planted and on course.
This light craft, even with another 1000 kg of people and provisions aboard, performed well, proving this vessel is not just a day tripper.
Although the E40 demonstrator is destined to be shipped offshore in June it won’t be long before another arrives in NZ. Although New Zealand doesn’t have the population to provide early adopter market density, we do have the mind-set for marine E-Propulsion and, as John discovered, the physical environment for this E-Cat.
Zerojet/Highfield: I never ceased to be amazed by the depth of Kiwi Innovation within the marine industry. One year ago I wrote about ZeroJet, the New Zealand designer and manufacturer of electric jet systems. After testing their ZeroJet C350 Tender (PPB March/April 2022), I concluded the boat test article with the following comment: “There is little doubt in my mind that ZeroJet and OC Tenders will soon see a massive international interest in their innovative Kiwi products. Watch this space.” Prophetic? Indeed!
Zoom forward to March 2023 and the Auckland On Water Boat Show, where I was able to catch up with several of the people at Zerojet, whom I had met previously and, was also delighted to finally meet Bex Rempel and Neil Mans, the founders of the company.
In discussion with David Proctor, Zerojet’s CMO, I discovered that the company’s focus over the last year has been on developing and promoting their electric jet system so that they can supply to boat build partners around the world who will utilise it their designs, rather than Zerojet being involved in boat production. After proving to OCT the worth of the electric jet concept last year, Zerojet continues to work closely with OCT and have their new Gen 2 system shipping with tenders to OCT customers from this September onwards. The increasing supply of their systems across multiple boat builder partners has verified conclusively that it is the way forward for Zerojet.
Now ZeroJet has recently launched an electric jet model, the EJET330, with Highfield Boats, the world’s leading aluminium RIB manufacturer, whose vessels are built in the company’s state of the art production facility in Weihai, China and operating under European management. By joining forces, the two companies are combining Highfield’s performance and strength with ZeroJet’s efficient and powerful electric system.
The EJET 330 RIB will be available in the Highfield 2024 range, and with no bulky outboard or exposed propeller, is safer to use in the water. As well as the general benefits of electric over ICE, the EJET 330 can be used in very shallow depths, its low profile allowing it to be easily beached and is the perfect choice for compact storage on-board and in tender garages. The ZeroJet water jet pump and compact electric motor weigh 50% less than a comparable fossil fuel outboard motor.
At 3.36 metres long and 1.82 metres wide, the RIB comes with an FCT one-piece combination seating/steering console system. It features a 10.8kWh battery and power equivalent to 20hp. The boat can reach an impressive 25 knots maximum speed and can cover 12 nautical miles at 14 knots speed. Bex Rempel, ZeroJet CEO & Co-founder, comments “Partnering with Highfield, such a prominent boat builder, helps us to accelerate the industry towards an electric future and provides customers with RIBs which are fun, safe and sustainable.”
As I said about ZeroJet a year ago; “No pollution, no noise. Just you, the ocean, and a rechargeable battery. I like that!” Now having seen the new prototype Highfield EJET 330 at the boat show, I look forward to doing a boat test and experience, first hand, the performance of this new craft. Once again, watch this space.
Vetus-Maxwell, as mentioned in Part 1, recently introduced the Vetus range of E-Line Electric Inboard Motors to the global market. Across the ditch in Australia, Luxfords Marine, the Victorian state distributor for Vetus-Maxwell products, decided that, due to the level of interest in the Vetus E-Line Electric motors, they would undertake their own conversion of a diesel powered boat to Vetus E-LINE electric propulsion for research and demonstration purposes.
They selected a somewhat derelict 17.5 foot Gil Craft sail boat, saved from years of further decay which was originally powered by a 12 hp Swedish diesel engine. Having removed the cabin and built a centre console to make it into a day cruiser, they completed the fit out exclusively with Vetus-Maxwell equipment. The demo boat idea was due to the level of interest in the new VETUS E-LINE motors and the questions raised by potential customers regarding range and performance vis-à-vis engine hp to electric Kw conversion and ease of installation.
Luxfords discovered that by doing a conversion themselves, a fantastic learning experience ensued, not only on how easy the E-LINE was to fit and connect up, but how to retro fit batteries, wire everything up correctly and how to recharge the batteries. They were then able to put theoretical propeller calculations data regarding E-LINE performance calculations into reality and on launching discovered that the actual performance out on the water was as exactly per the Vetus engineer’s data. Love it when a plan comes together!
Once launched, the boating experience proved to be amazing, with smooth and quiet torque. Throttle response was even and linear, allowing great control when docking and the ability to use boost mode to push though strong currents or to lift the boat onto the trailer when retrieving.
Additional benefits include battery monitoring through a digital shunt and NMEA2000 communication, plus Wi-Fi to a smart phone, giving real-time data and confidence on the water in regards to range relative to speed, wind and tide. Not to mention, zero smell, zero fuel spills, zero oil leaks, zero annual servicing and zero concern over; “Is it going to start or emit an embarrassing plume of smoke when I hit the ignition”?
Summing up, the E-LINE motor and controls are on par, price wise with an equivalent diesel engine and although batteries, particularly lithium, are more expensive, the warranty and duty cycles far outweigh their counterparts and will pay off in a few years of diesel fuel and engine service costs.
Specifications
Powered by Vetus E-Line 5 Kw
Run time @ 4.5 Knots (hull speed) 7.2 hours
Batteries: 3 X INVICTA LiFeP04 48V 75Ah giving a total of 225 Ah equalling 10.8 kWh. A 12v 105 Ah AGM runs control circuit and 12v accessories
Recharge time with a 48v-18 amp wall charger is 3-4 hours
eD-TEC/Q-Speed is a collaboration between New Zealander, Leigh Michau, founder of Q-Speed and German, Michael Jost of start-up company eD-TEC. Between them and their ‘Believer Team’, they have designed and developed a system to offer an electric drive solution to the boating industry for vessels from small day boats and tenders to performance cruisers up to 30 metres in length.
eD-TECs 360º, end to end technology stack, encapsulating full electronic control systems, energy storage and charging system and high performance propulsion system, all connected to and supported in the cloud via advanced AI, was illustrated in Part 1.
The enormous eD-TEC/Q-SPD power solution is in the eD-QDrive; a fully integrated propulsion package designed and developed by collaborating with by Leigh Michau, owner and designer of the Q-SPD surface drive system.
By embacing Q-SPD’s already proven and successful surface drive technology, eD-TEC have employed the most effective form of propulion for planing boats and in so doing, offer the highest propulsive efficiency possible. To quote Michael Jost,
“We are not interested in going slow –
the eD-QDrive and the eD-TEC
tech-stack is built around the principle
of GO FASTER, GO FURTHER”.
As such the company has targeted effectual solutions which will typically have +50 knot peak speed capability, but will have the best economy and maximum range capability at 25 to 30 knots. This means working with efficient hull designs, ultra light weight manufacturing, including the carbon fibre composite construction eD-Q-Drive, for the best possible power to weight ratios.
The eD-TEC development program is utilising an 8 meter light weight high perfromance speedster, purpose built for the eD-TEC platform by Kaiser Bootsmanufaktur in Germany. As we go to press, integration and testing of the entire system is taking place at the Kaiser yard, including testing of all systems in their purpose built test pool to ensure all systems are working 100% before moving on the sea trails.
Concurrently, as the first prototype production boat nears completion and as soon as the test program is complete, a collaboration between eD-TEC and Silent Yachts will see the first production boat series using the full eD-TEC/Q-SPD package. Following the principles of ‘highest efficiency integration’, the 8 meter, foil assisted Silent Speed 28 catamaran will be fully spec’d as a high end tender. A cruise range of 70 nautical miles at 30 knots, and peak short burst speeds in excess of 60 knots, are expected.
To enable such performance, speed and range, eD-TEC is developing a light weight high C-rated* (high capacity charge/continuous discharge capability) battery system, with options from 80 to 320kW.
A high C rated battery is required to enable high power draw from the battery system for extended periods, thus enabling longer range at prolonged higher speed.
Naut, as mentioned in Part 1, designs and builds electric propulsion systems which include an inboard system that will work with jet units, stern drives or Naut’s own electric outboard with the focus on the 6 – 12m trailer or marina boats, which are commonly powered by equivalent 150-300 hp engines. Naut believes it is the only marine electric propulsion company, where the design and build occurs 100% in NZ, focusing on commercial products of this size. While primarily focusing on the propulsion system, Naut have a suite of design partners they work with, to complete bespoke boat and electric propulsion designs specifically meeting customers multi boat fleet needs.
We introduced Naut in the March/April issue and since then, such is the confidence in their product and R&D, Hillfarrance Venture Capital Fund has invested $1.5M into Naut. The investment allows Naut to accelerate the development of their systems. Secondly, Naut has experienced a significant increase in discussions and contracts with customers and boat builders, both within NZ and globally, proving yet again that the interest in electric boat systems clearly continues to grow, whether due to getting an ROI, reducing pollution and noise, or just having the best and latest technology!
Naut aims to have their inboard system available for order later in 2023 and the outboard early 2024. I look forward to doing a boat test later this year and In the meantime, any customers or boat builders interested in discussing opportunities to join the growing market that is electric boating, should contact Fiona Bycroft, the co-founder and CEO at Naut in Whangarei.
EVOCEAN, representing ePropulsion and Oceanvolt here in New Zealand, were featured in Part 1 of this series. Since then they have been very busy over the past several months and after visiting Evocean at the Auckland On Water Boat Show recently, I was impressed to discover that they have now completed or are in the final throes of completing a few very interesting electrically propelled boat projects.
However, as far as ePropulsion goes, their I-Series inboard motors have only just been released and the first units are now coming off the production line in China. Here in New Zealand Evocean is about to receive one of the first 10 units produced and it should be in the country by May. This I-Series unit will be installed into a classic 28 foot yacht.
In the meantime, Evocean have another project close to completion; a 5.5 m RIB. Although not inboard propulsion, it is fitted with two 10kw ePropulsion electric outboards. This vessel will be tested by Westhaven Marina, and all going well will become one of their fleet.
In regards to Oceanvolt inboard electric propulsion, Evocean has been involved with three installations here in NZ, all utilising Oceanvolt systems. The first one being a 50ft catamaran, which has two electric Oceanvolt 15kw sail drives with two generators and battery packs. The second was a Leopard 45 sailing cat installed with two Oceanvolt 15Kw sail drives, batteries and a generator. The last one was a traditional Vaka, a new build by Lloyd Stevenson boat builders. Two Oceanvolt AXC10 shaft drive electric motors, batteries and generators were fitted to this traditional South Pacific vessel.
Torqeedo, although not a Kiwi manufacturer, it is mentioned here simply because of the fact that they are an international company at the forefront of electric boat propulsion, both outboard and inboard and are strongly represented here in New Zealand through their long standing distributor, Power Equipment, located on Auckland’s North Shore. We featured Torqeedo in the September/October 2021 issue of Pacific Power Boat magazine in an article entitled “Silent Power” – The 2021 Buyers Guide to Electric Outboards and Trolling Motors”.
While Torqeedo is well known for their electric outboard motors, what is not so well known by many boating end users, is the fact that they are also at the vanguard of the design, manufacture and supply of inboard electric motors. Torqeedo’s superior electric motors are suitable for powerful motorboats, large sailing yachts and commercial vessels such as ferries. With up to 100 kW the high-RPM version easily powers planing boats, while the low-RPM version is ideal for large yachts and other displacement vessels.
In speaking with Dave Low, Power Equipment’s NZ Branch Manager, he advised that although there haven’t been
any significant projects in NZ yet to be fitted with the high voltage/Deep Blue Inboard systems, there are plenty of examples from other parts of the world,
as illustrated above.
The Deep Blue System is a fully integrated high-performance system for propulsion and energy management, propounding a high-power electric drive system for motorboats that offers exceptional performance, professional safety and easy operation. Motorboats and fast yacht tenders can choose from a range of “state of the art” inboard models up to 100 kW. With a 9-year limited battery capacity warranty, outstanding efficiency, and a proven long service life; backed by Power Equipment here in New Zealand, Deep Blue is an excellent solution for powerful electric motorboats.
Although Torqeedo offer several smaller Deep Blue options, from the smallest 25 R (25 kW) through to the 100i (100 kW), for fast speed boats, most interest will be for the Deep Blue 100i 900, which is suitable for heavy displacement vessels, with its robust direct-drive motor delivering 100 kW of emission-free power and over 1,000 Nm of torque and the Deep Blue 100i 2500with a 100 kW motor, specifically constructed to power fast, planing motorboats. With a reliable, low-maintenance, direct-drive design, the Deep Blue 100i delivers extraordinary performance, with up to 2,700 RPM and a torque of 437 Nm.
The Torqeedo Range of Electric Inboard Motors are offered to fulfil the requirements of nearly all types of boats and it is all but certain that a New Zealand boat manufacturer will be collaborating with Torqeedo/Power Equipment to build a vessel fitted with a Deep Blue inboard electric propulsion system before too long.
JP RIBS, a well-regarded industry name has evolved to better reflect the full scope of their offering – and their ambitions. JP RIBS began with the combined vision and experience of father-son duo, Phil and Jonathon Edgar, growing to a team of 22 from their base on Auckland’s North Shore, and boasting some of the country’s best boat building and design talent.
While this legacy gives them a foundation of creditability and reliability, they’re an ambitious Kiwi company in pursuit of progress. The agility of their lean but clever team, and a fearlessness when it comes to pushing boundaries, imagining what’s possible, and embracing challenges, now as JP Crafts, has them embarking on a new era of marine excellence. It brings together four key divisions of their business: their projects, marine specialist services, partnerships and custom crafts.
Stepping away from the typically siloed approach within the industry, director Jonny believes that future-fit vessels should take shape through collaboration, collectively advancing industry innovation by bringing together world-leading technologists with superior craftsmanship.
As part of this, JP Crafts is now pioneering new technology in partnership with green-energy innovators, Sealence, and is the first in Australasia to proudly integrate the Sealence DeepSpeed jet-powered electric propulsion systems into their craft. Their vision is to offer inboard electrically propelled crafts like no other, starting with a 40-foot, fully electric wave surf craft, fitted with two Sealence drives. The Sealence DeepSpeed is a truly innovative system. It is a completely new marine jet propulsion unit with unprecedented performance in terms of more thrust at any speed, better efficiency and is extremely silent. It is a truly unique inboard/outboard system that brings substantial advantages in terms of installation and safety.
Being both full-electric and hybrid, the marine jet propulsion unit offers unprecedented performance with more thrust at any speed, better efficiency and reduced noise. The advanced energy management system guarantees maximum comfort with the lowest environmental impact, through fast charging. In Full Electric Mode there are zero emissions. Hybrid mode brings the same autonomy as conventional propulsion, but improved efficiency of their propulsion system sees emissions reduced between 12% and 17%.
While some developments are still under wraps, JP Crafts has a number of local and international projects in the works that will see them expand on the next evolution of both electric and traditionally powered vessels. This includes an electric charging station marina in conjunction with the Queenstown City Council and an 80 foot Vaka based in Aitutaki.
When you understand the collective knowledge behind the brand, you can see why they’re a team trusted by project partners to bring the boldest of visions to life. Although driven by continual progression, the essence of JP Crafts still remains true to the personal, meticulous service that Phil and Jonny grew their name on – just the kind of approach that helps to maintain New Zealand’s cutting-edge boat building reputation, globally.
Up until now we have been focussing on inboard electric motors and drives but, needless to say, the essential requirement electric boat is power. With and ICE motor it is petrol or diesel, but with an electric boat motor it is batteries.
Juice Batteries/Enertec Lithium Ion batteries are designed and manufactured by Enertec Marine Ltd., established in Auckland New Zealand in 1987. Enertec have long relationships with some the world’s best known marine electrical power product brands.
With over 10 years’ experience with Lithium Ion batteries in both marine and land based applications, the team at Enertec, in typical kiwi fashion, saw the opportunity to develop a new generation of Lithium Ion batteries specifically for the marine industry which would resolve some of the installation issues with other product offerings.
To achieve this Enertec Marine teamed up with the Electrical Engineering Department at Auckland University to help develop a cutting edge Lithium Ion battery management system and cell balancing system to allow superior performance and longevity. Finally, with the growth in electric propulsion aboard vessels and the requirement for higher voltage DC battery systems, the Juice Lithium Ion Professional series of batteries were designed with an integrated series balancer to allow a simple solution for these typically higher voltage applications in mind.
Enertec are seeing an increase in customers wanting to build electric vessels or convert existing vessels to electric both here in NZ and abroad, establishing overseas distribution to cater for demand. Typically, these will be catamarans or displacement mono hulls who want quieter operation and a more environmentally friendly footprint.
These vessels are typically installing 48V systems which require a battery bank that can work in series whilst maintaining balancing between the batteries. Electric propulsion applications require a battery solution that can deliver high current when needed by the electric motors, and accept high charge to recover in the shortest time possible. Juice Pro Series Li-Ion batteries have been designed with this in mind making them ideal of Electric propulsion systems and the unique demands these systems place on batteries.
As proven by ZeroJet, there is also demand for Li-Ion batteries in small trailer boats and tenders wanting to use the latest technologies in inboard electric propulsion. While Enertec also see this as an exciting market, there are a number of challenges here. Typically these builds required a level of customization to allow the ‘form factor’ of the battery to fit the vessel. Enertec certainly has the technology and expertise to offer these customized solutions,
however given the level of product development involved it usually either requires a contribution from the client towards the development, or forward orders for the designed product to make it cost effective for Enertec to cover the development costs in house. A somewhat chicken and egg situation.
Something I hadn’t mentioned in part one of this series regarding the selection of Li-Ion batteries was the all-important issue of compliance. It is one of the most limiting factors, with a significant amount of product being supplied from overseas not complying with New Zealand regulations. Therefore it is worth noting that for a standard pleasure boat, electrical installations have to comply with AS/NZS 3004.2:2014, which includes a section for installation of lithium Ion batteries. If the batteries do not comply the vessel should not be offered an Electrical Warrant of Fitness (EWOF). Jeremy advised that they had recently also found insurance companies asking if a vessel’s Li-Ion installation complied with these standards and, if not, they were unwilling to insure.
One hears mentioned the C-rate* in relation to batteries. This is the unit that battery experts use to measure the speed at which a battery is fully charged or discharged. For example, charging at a C-rate of 1C means that the battery is charged from 0 – 100% in one hour. A C-rate higher than 1C means a faster charge. E.g., a 3C rate is three times faster, resulting in a full charge in 20 minutes. Likewise, a lower C-rate means a slower charge: C/5 (or 0.2C) would be five times slower than 1C, amounting to a five hour charge. So, the higher the C-rating the faster the charging and higher the continuous discharge.
All food for thought and important considerations if you are seriously contemplating building or buying an inboard electrically propelled vessel.
If one wants to look further outside New Zealand, just do some internet searches regarding inboard electric boat propulsion and I guarantee you will be gob-struck by the enormity of information out there and you will be impressed by the number, size and variation of electric boats actually on the market and being put to daily use. The marine industry is fast catching up with the automotive industry when it comes to electric propulsion in boats, whether it be pure electric (BEB – Battery Electric Boats) or hybrid (think PHEV cars), where batteries and supplemental fossil fuel generation is required to keep the batteries charged and/or propel the boat if necessary.
Electric boat propulsion, whether outboard or inboard, is happening now and will continue to happen exponentially in the months and years to come.
