All-electric boat hits retail market
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The X Shore Eelex 8000, one of the first electric boats to be sold on the commercial market, aims to become the Tesla of the sea
Spotted: Swedish X Shore has launched its first commercial all-electric boat, offering sailors emissions-free travel. The boat uses 35 per cent less energy than traditional leisure craft, the company says.
The Eelex 8000 is part of X Shore’s campaign to encourage sustainable travel. The 12-seater’s design attempts to resolve long-standing challenges to electric boat travel. Early electric boats struggled with limited battery range and slow speeds. The Eelex 8000 uses a unique propulsion system and energy-efficient design to resolve those challenges. Its hull is deeply ridged, a design that reduces friction by allowing air between the boat and the water.
The Eelex 6500 can cover 100 nautical miles on a single charge. Its top speed is 40 knots and, at a lower speed, can cruise consistently for two hours.
In autumn X Shore plans to launch the Eeltrek model, which will have a closed roof and cabin.