Test - personal water craft

Electric boats have been around for more than a century however, they are experiencing a resurgence. This is due largely to the growing interest in electric cars that has driven down the price of lithium-ion batteries. Electric boats are very attractive as they boast zero emissions, less maintenance, low operating costs, and noiseless travel akin to sailing.

The environmental importance of electric boats cannot be overstated. While we often hear about the emissions load from fossil fuel power cars we rarely hear about the considerable emissions associated with water craft.

There are 12.5 million fossil fuel powered marine engines in the United States alone and these vessels have a massive environmental footprint. According to the EPA they are one of the leading sources of climate change causing non-road hydrocarbon emissions. Personal water craft in the US generate a staggering 80,000,000,000 pounds of carbon emissions.

According to a report by IDtechEx titled, Electric Boats, Small Submarines and other Autonomous Underwater Vehicles 2014 - 2024, the market for these types of water crafts is exploding. As of 2013 the market was worth $2.6 billion and it is expected to almost triple by 2024 and reach $7.3 billion.

One example of a company that is focusing on electric marine power-trains is Elco Motor Yachts. They have been around for more than a century and they now have a number of electric inboard engines including the EP-7000 electric marine motor and the larger EP-10000 which can power boats up to 50 feet long. Elco electric motors also makes the small inexpensive EP-600 and an even smaller outboard electric motor called the EP-5 that costs just under $3000.

Other boats have opted for hybrid designs. One such boat is the Savannah hybrid Mega-yacht. It has three generators and a massive lithium-ion battery pack that is supported by a diesel engine. This vehicle provides all the propulsion of a typical yacht but with radically enhanced fuel efficiency. The Savannah boasts 30 percent greater fuel efficiency than traditional yachts of the same size.

It is not only high-end yachts that are getting an electric facelift, popular pontoon boats are also increasingly being powered by electricity instead of an internal combustion engine.

Given the environmental and climate costs associated with marine recreation vehicles, the electrification of these vessels is both urgent and timely.

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Electric Quadrofoil Recreational Water Craft (Video)

In the US personal watercraft (PWC) are a leading cause of air and water pollution as well as climate change causing emissions, however the electric Quadrofoil could change this picture dramatically. The Quadrofoil provides a completely environmentally friendly mode of recreational marine transportation. The vessel generates little sound or wake and most importantly there are no emissions. The watercraft is so environmentally neutral that it can be driven through most environmentally protected sanctuaries where motor boats and PWC are prohibited. The Quadrofoil is suitable for lakes, rivers, seas.

The Sleek and futuristic Quadrofoil looks a bit like a flying jacuzzi. It uses hydrofoil technology to “fly” above the surface of the water. The Quadrofoil comes with displays that show how much battery power is left, as well as the boat’s speed and range. It has a top speed up to 25 mph (40 km/h or 21 knots) and a range of up to 100 km (62 miles or 54 nautical miles)and can be fully charged in under 2 hours. This vehicle operates at a cost of just over $1 an hour and costs $18,700.

While hydrofoil technology is not new, the Quadrofoil has electric drive and patented steering technology that enable both stability and agility at the same time. The state-of-the-art touchscreen steering wheel is the only control mechanism on board. As the boat reaches a speed of 6 knots (about 7 mph), its hydrofoil wings create lift and raise the boat out of the water. The design's hollow hull and composite, lightweight construction also makes the vessel almost unsinkable.

In the US alone there are 12.5 million fossil fuel powered marine engines. They are a major source of air and water pollution. Boat engines emit both Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the exhaust. These emissions also cause climate change. Of nonroad sources, EPA has determined that gasoline marine engines are one of the largest average contributors of hydrocarbon (HC)emissions. Of all categories of nonroad engines, recreational marine engines contributes the second highest average level of HC exhaust emissions. The amount of Carbon Dioxide production is directly proportional to fuel consumption. One gallon of gasoline = 19.4 pounds of CO2 and one gallon of diesel = 22.2 pounds of CO2.

The estimated yearly CO2 emissions from PWC is a staggering 80,000,000,000 pounds. To arrive at this number we took the number of US PWC (12.5 million), multiplied this by the average number of days on the water each year (32) and the average amount of fuel used each day (10 gallons). This gave us a total fuel expenditure of 4,000,000,000 gallons. To arrive at the total amount of yearly carbon emissions we multiplied that number by 20 pounds of CO2 (there are far more gas engines than diesel in PWCs).

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