From our bird's-eye view of the renewable energy industry, we often see positive developments for humanity before they become common knowledge. The purpose of this blog is to highlight the clean energy innovations and sustainability actions that are legitimate cause for optimism despite the very real threats to people and the environment posed by climate damage.
Picture this: an electric truck towing an electric boat, effortlessly charging the boat’s battery as they travel together. This seamless blend of innovation is a glimpse into the future of sustainable transportation.
Electric recreation boats that outperform similar gas-powered boats are just beginning to emerge as a solution to the heavy pollution, annoying noise, and higher operating costs of traditional two-stroke and four-stroke outboard engines. Traditional two-stroke outboard motors can emit 30% of their unburned gas into the water, endangering ecosystems and creating large amounts of pollution. Gas-powered motors also produce ground-level ozone, which is harmful to humans and animals alike.
Phil Coupe in June on the old, retrofitted electric boat.Alert readers may recall my original electric boat, a 19’ center console Maycraft hull that was retrofitted in 2021 with a 100hp electric outboard and 60 kWh battery pack from Flux Marine in Bristol, RI. Unfortunately, while on a July nighttime cruise in Casco Bay, we ran aground and ruined the old electric boat.
It’s fair to say that those early days of electric boating were challenging, similar to my first experiences with electric cars more than 15 years ago. Like the electric cars of 2010, Flux Marine’s first-generation technology was not ready for prime time back in 2021. Still, as an investor in their fledgling electric outboard manufacturing business, I was willing to be an early adopter and suffer some inevitable kinks of early-stage technology.
During the past three years, Flux Marine has taken on more than $30 million in investments, enabling the company to hire strong engineers and mechanical designers who have helped evolve their flagship 100hp outboard motor into a high-performance product that is cleaner, quieter, and cheaper to operate than a similar gas-powered outboard.
On a recent outing on Casco Bay with a total of six passengers, the Sea Lightning was able to plane off and reach a top speed of 26 mph. The electric motor has more than enough power to pull a water skier or wakeboarder, and the 84 kWr battery pack has enough stored energy to push the boat at trolling speed for 10+ hours. If you’re hammering the throttle and racing around, the battery will deplete much more quickly. On any given outing, the rate of battery depletion depends on the number and weight of passengers aboard, wind speed, wave conditions, and tide.
With a 21' Scout XSF hull, the Sea Lightning has a maximum capacity of 9 passengers and can hit 28 mph at full throttle with two or three passengers aboard. Flux Marine’s 2024 version of its 100hp electric motor is much more advanced than the first prototype delivered to Maine in 2021. The 2024 version is easier to operate, has better throttle feel and control, and has an integrated electronic dashboard synchronized with a 10" Garmin GPS unit.
A guest takes a turn driving the new Sea Lightning around Casco Bay. The sound of silence (at low speeds) and absence of noxious exhaust fumes might be the very best features of the Sea Lightning. It is blissful to hear seabirds and water gently lapping against the hull, and the crystal clear voices of fellow passengers, when cruising along in the Sea Lightning. There’s never a whiff of the harmful pollution that emanates from traditional outboard motors, particularly when there’s wind blowing from astern.
From a cost perspective, the 100% electric Sea Lightning is comparable to a similar gas-powered boat. The founders of Flux Marine expect their electric outboards to reach cost parity with similar gas-powered motors within a few years. Operating costs of the electric Sea Lightning are expected to be less than half of what it costs to own and operate a similar gas-powered boat.
