TRANSPORTATION n outdrive combined with a slow-speed trolling motor in one unit. “Flying smoothly across the sea, conversing with your passengers at a normal tone of voice, and then arriving at your destination having spent only a few euros worth of electricity getting there – that’s a better boating experience,” he adds. But Candela will not have the market to itself. The UK marine engineering specialist BAR Technologies – the company behind the UK’s recent America’s Cup entries – has teamed up with Suffolk-based Spirit Yachts to develop an electric “flying boat” with active retractable foils that raise its hull above the water to minimise drag and create a fast-cruising range of around 100 nautical miles (185km) between charges of its 120kWh battery pack, at speeds of up to 22 knots (40km/h). The developers claim that the 10.5m-long SpiritBARTech35EF is the first electric yacht with a 100 nautical mile range. Previous electrically-powered yachts have offered ranges of 25–70 miles at speeds of 5 knots. The boat will be produced in limited quantities and sold at a price said to be “reassuringly expensive”. BAR Technologies CEO, John Cooper, describes the new yacht as “a boat of pure elegance”. It will be “the first of a series of boats we design to break new ground as we move into a greener generation of leisure yachts,” he adds. The powertrain for the Sprit Yachts vessel has been designed and manufactured by the Norfolk-based advanced drive systems developer, Equipmake. It uses an adapted version of its lightweight, power-dense, high-performance motor and gearbox, together with an inverter and custom battery pack. The project is the first time Equipmake has applied its expertise to the electric marine market, which is predicted to be worth more than $16.6bn by 2030. Equipmake and BAR are exploring further opportunities to collaborate. “We are extremely proud to have played a key role in the development of this incredible electric flying boat, which truly sets new standards for long-range electric vessels,” says Equipmake CEO, Ian Foley. “Our in-house developed electrification technology has many varied highperformance applications, from aerospace to automotive, and the SpiritBARTech35EF is the perfect showcase for how it can be applied to the rapidly growing electric marine market.” n BAR Technologies and Spirit Yachts claim that their electric yacht is the first to achieve a 100 nautical mile range
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=