ELECTRIC AVENUE

The electric propulsion sector is developing rapidly, with volumes increasing, more players entering the market – there were 27 at the METStrade marine equipment show in Amsterdam last year – and prices set to continue falling. This is particularly true for lithium-ion batteries developed for automotive use, where the current trend for a doubling of capacity roughly every three years, while maintaining a power pack of the same physical size and cost, shows no sign of slowing.

The past couple of years have seen progressively more raceboats turning to electrical power, including IMOCA 60s, such as Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss; Fast40s, including Niklas Zennstrom’s Ràn; the ClubSwan 36; plus smaller keelboats and even RIBs, such as the new RS Pulse 58 (see box out). Equally, Pogo’s Loxo 32E shows there’s also an appetite for very efficient electric motorboats.

BLISTERING TORQUE

While an electric motor will drive the propeller in forward