My new boat

I'm surrounded by 30000 islands and my job is driving boats. The authorities equal green with electric so I decided to get me an electric boat.

Two options emerged as being somewhat reasonable, the Candela hydrofoil and the X Shore (planing hull). While being admittedly intrigued by the Candela I came to the conclusion that a regular boat would be more useful and so I ordered a X Shore. They have built around 70 pleasure boats but I'll be getting the first professional one.

With 189 kWh and an energy consumption of 4 kWh/M I'll get about 47 M as a max range a 21 knots. X Shore are being cautious and they're promising me 35M range which doesn't come close to diesel/gas but is good enough to base a new "philosophy" regarding transportation on.

Only considering the price of the boat, the cost for electricity vs gas/diesel and reasonable lifetime this is a quite bad investment. But taking into account the political and competition aspects it's another story (it helps being a little cynical). And also it's quite the ride being almost silent and without smell or vibrations.

 

While it is difficult to tell from this angle, it appears that the plumb bow and fine entry will cause water to come over the bow and the wind will drive it into the open
forward area.
I hope the bow cockpit is self draining with extremely large scuppers.
We owned a 29 Ranger Tug, not this one, with a fine entry, cruise 20 knots, and in 2 -3 foot waves and a wind in your face, the windshield would be inundated with water coming over the bow.
Luckily the bow had a deck and the wipers could keep the windshield clean
While it was called a tug, the hull was a planing hull

 

So are you running a buisness or a popularity contest? Do you get tax breaks for buying this on top of the usual deductions, for being "green"?

 

This boat is based on their open one which has a flat deck with an open stern so any water can evacuate that way since the cabin isn't a tight/sealed fit. And it has scuppers too.

Since everything is about the environment these days and since green transportation, at least in Sweden, is all about going electric I can either accept these facts and play ball or I can choose not to. Playing ball is good for business and since I'm being one of the first over here, most likely the first, getting an electric taxi boat I'm getting a head start on my competition as well as a few other benefits within my currents contracts. This is also good for business. In a way I guess playing ball and accepting the current norm is to be considered popular so to answer your question I run both a business and a "popularity contest".

 

Tell us more about your range and typical use. A water taxi can mean almost anything. Can you run out of power?

What is the big M as in 35M? Miles?

Is the front open for passengers? It is a curious configuration for a taxi; some of us don't understand.

 

It is typical for a Nordic boat that might land bows to a large rock. The open midships is the best place for passengers and baggage. These are not "offshore" boats in the usual sense, more protected water.

 

Nothing wrong with that if you have access to the amps and a fast charger at your dock, some Norwegian ferries run electric and charge while loading cars and foot traffic. I would carry a small generator , just in case.

 

It seems to me that the customers of water taxis are looking for two things, the experience, and convenience. If the water/boating experience is enhanced by either the peacefulness of electric or the ecology of electric and the taxi is convenient and efficient moving from point A to point B, the expense of going electric will be worth the investment.

At the point where an electric vessel is the first considered option, the expense will probably drop to reflect its common acceptance.

 

The infrastructure is not really in place. People go out to the Stockholm Archipelago for camping etc and may stay on an island/s for some weeks in the summer. For those with their own electric boats, that means bringing a way to charge it. The bigger Islands will be served with refuelling facilities or a Marina, so a taxi boat could operate within a limited range of a plug.

Im not knocking the idea, but just like the Post Office in the UK going over to electric, it doesnt work when you have 50 vehicles at one site, and only 4 chargers.