Towards Cleaner Propulsion

It’s been almost 20 years since electric propulsion began to make an appearance in the engine compartments of our multihulls and given the low percentage of green units ordered today compared to diesel (see our article on eco-production in this issue), we have to admit that this “new” technology poses some serious challenges for shipyards and boatbuilders in the marine leisure industry. Lack of confidence, still-limited performance and dissuasive pricing are the first obstacles identified to the widespread adoption of more environmentally friendly boats - at least when they’re sailing.

In fact, we’re a long way from the boom currently being experienced by the automotive industry - a trend, however, that has been weakened by the end of certain government subsidies.

Apart from a handful of small-scale attempts by independent sailors, the first brand to embark on the electric adventure on an industrial scale was Lagoon, back in 2006. Around a hundred Lagoon 420 hybrid diesel-electric yachts were produced. The technology was not yet fully perfected, especially in terms of electronic management. As a result, the after-sales service had its work cut out... The brand manager at the time was Yann Masselot, and he tells us that he had to spend a lot of time on his own helping customers on the other side of the world! And above all, performance, with a maximum of six knots, wasn’t up to the level users were used to with internal combustion engines. In 2008, the hybrid option was withdrawn from the catalog. We then had to wait almost ten years for electric motors to reappear on production catamarans. Outremer and ITA Catamarans installed Oceanvolt motors, while Gunboat and Excess have opted for Torqeedo motors. Both brands offer electric drive systems for standard catalog installation. At the same time, two equipment manufacturers have developed and are offering turnkey concepts based on a development specifically dedicated to an electric powertrain. Silent Yachts and Windelo, the former for powercats and the latter for sailing catamarans, have met with success, with a few dozen units already sold. Moving on to superyachts, Sunreef has launched its ECO range, which includes both sailboats and multiyachts, all covered with solar panels integrated into the structure of the hull and coachroof. Two years ago, as part of its Odyssea strategic plan, the Fountaine Pajot Group embarked on the same internal development process, taking control of equipment manufacturer Alternatives Energies. The brand offers the Smart Electric concept on 4 of its sailing models, with pod-mounted motors and an in-house management system that includes lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, which are more reliable over time and, more importantly, recharge quickly. This is the latest technology used in the automobile sector. The group’s objective is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, with 50% of units delivered in the Smart Electric version by 2027. Although in a more served ...