Plugboats Newsletter May 26, 2025

Author

Plugboats
May 26, 2025

Welcome to the world of electric boats and boating. This is the newsletter that regular readers of the Plugboats website receive. If you find it informative, I hope you’ll sign up.

I also hope you will explore Plugboats.com, which has a lot more to offer than the simple newsletter.

It is the world’s only international website dedicated 100% to electric boats and boating and has all the latest news as well as electric motor buying guides, an international directory of over 800 electric boat suppliers and a marketplace of electric motors and boats for sale, rent and charter. I hope you enjoy the newsletter and invite you to sign up - FOR FREE - and / or discover more at Plugboats.com

Here’s the Regular Subscriber Newsletter which you would have received in your mailbox on May 26

This newsletter shows a good range of all the different elements involved in the transition to electric propulsion and all the different sizes of boats, yachts, ships and other vessels involved. There’s an article about a new solid state battery, a new bass boat powered by an electric outboard, one about an innovative hull design, one about what solutions yachts and superyachts are looking at to reduce emissions, one about a public electric ferry…and the WaVeS #27 mini news round up that has six more stories about electrification – including the world’s biggest electric vessel ever and electric boats at the world’s oldest continuing boat race.

Thanks for your support of Plugboats and I hope you enjoy this newsletter.

Jeff Butler,
Editor / Publisher
Plugboats.com

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BATTERIES | MOTORS

With an energy density of 245 watt hours per kilogram, a solid state marine battery from Italy’s Sealence enables electric boats and ships to pack more electricity storage into less onboard weight and space.The energy density of the Sealence battery is impressive because it measures the density of the entire battery pack, not just the single cells within it.

SPORT BOATS | FISHING BOATS | OUTBOARDS

Chinese electric outboard manufacturer ExploMar is joining forces with Kimple Boats on a high performance electric bass boat, the E498, that will use the ExploMar WAVE 70+ electric outboard (70 horsepower / 50 kiloWatts) with a 60 kWh battery pack.

HULL DESIGN | COMMERCIAL BOATS | LEISURE BOATS

Norwegian Startup Pascal Technologies has announced that two new electric vessels, the NABCREW Zero AirBlue 1240 and the Hugin DC, will both be integrating the company’s energy efficient AirHull technology. The AirHull technology brings three elements together to reduce energy consumption of a boat by as much as 50%.

  • First, the hull has sort of a ridge around the outer rim that meets the water, creating a hollow cavity underneath the boat.

  • Then a lift fan, positioned at the bow, pumps air into the cavity.

  • Finally, a flap drops to seal the cavity at the stern, creating a pressurizedspace that lifts the boat 15 – 20 cm (6-8″) out of the water, reducing drag and energy consumption.

CONFERENCES | HYBRID | HYDROGEN | SUSTAINABILITY

The first World Yachting Summit (WYS) took place April 15 – 17 in Monaco and I had the honour and pleasure of participating as Moderator for a number of sessions on improving sustainability in yachting.

The Summit focussed on yachts above 12 metres (40 feet), including superyachts of 48 meters (160 ft) and beyond. Those are challenging lengths and weight of boats for pure electric propulsion, so panel discussions covered the broader topics of reducing emissions and options for ways that these large vessels can use hybrid systems (some including electric, some not), as a way to work towards net zero emissions.

FERRIES / WATER TAXIS  

The air and water are getting cleaner in yet another city as Barcelona launches the Ecocat Tres electric ferry that will carry passengers from the popular Las Ramblas district to the almost as popular Barceloneta Beach. There are also thousands of routes in cities all over the world that can benefit from electrifying traditional displacement hull boats. The Ecocat Tres is an interesting case because it uses the low voltage safe-to-touch propulsion system of Molabo, the only company in the world that makes a 50 kiloWatt (65 hp) electric motor that runs on 48 volts.

OUTBOARDS   |  EVENTS  |  SHIPS | AWARDS   |  SOLAR  |  NEW MODELS

Plugboats WAVES (Watts, Amps, Volts, Electrons) is an occasional collection of electric boats and boating news items that we have written about before and are updating, or items we are going to write about but are waiting for more information / developments – or items that are just tidbits you might find interesting.

Here is WaVeS #27, with electric boat and boating news about:

  • Australia’s Surf Lifesavers looking at electric outboards

  • Electric boats supporting the UK’s historic Boat Race

  • Launch of the world’s largest battery electric ship

  • First Polyboat Global Challenge Trophy awarded

  • Silent Yachts launches closed deck version of the SY62 3-Deck solar cat

  • Vessev hydrofoiling electric tour boat wins prestigious design award

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the newsletter

As always, if you have any suggestions about what you would like to see covered in Plugboats, or have a lead on an interesting story, drop me a line! (hit 'Reply' or click on the email icon below.)