Electric Boat Brands: The Complete List, From Candela To X Shore

• by Martin Punter
• April 21, 2021
• 13 min read

Maritime travel has changed quite a fair amount with the introduction of electric boat technologies. Ask any budding sailor, fisherman, holidaymaker or boating enthusiast.

They’ll all tell you the same thing, and with bells on.

Who said electric cars had a foothold over the electric market? There are various electric boat brands out there worth reading up on.

After all, the electric vehicle industry as a whole is charting out a course for the mainstream.

It’s only a matter of time before every electric transport vehicle follows the emissions-free archetype in some way or other.

Anyway, our complete list of electric boat brands is vast to say the least, and we can’t wait to sea, and hear what you all think about it (pardon the pun).

Now, let’s dive in!

Electric Boat Brands

You’ll no doubt have your favourites, just remember there’s a caveat to some of the more lavish-sounding vessels here.

Electric boats are quite expensive, depending on the company/boat you’re looking at, which was always to be expected; they are boats after all.

This is why a lot of the electric boat companies you’re about to read up on originate in parts of Europe/North America. Countries that are close to large pools of water, or the ocean itself.

We’ve covered quite a lot of companies for you, some dealing in luxury electric yachts for all you high-rollers reading this.

This e boat can travel up to 35.5mph © Credit to Candela

Candela: Maker Of The Candela C-7 Electric Boat

Founder: Gustav Hasselskog
Headquarters: Stockholm County, Sweden
Founded: 2014

Fossil-fuel free oceans is the long-term goal/purpose of Candela, an electric speedboat company out of Sweden. The company create what they call “hydrofoil” boats that can travel at high speeds over longer distances.

For example, the Candela C-7 can travel up to 35.5mph thanks to Candela’s hydrofoil technology and the fact that the hull is made out of vacuum-infused carbon fibre.

In other words, the C-7 weighs 30% less than similar boats of the same size.

Reputation-wise, Candela stands tall amongst some of the very best electric boat companies operating right now. You could consider them an electric transport company also, given their P-30 concept.

Best Boat: Candela C-7

DOMANI Yachts: Zero Emissions For A Different Class

Founder: Michael Goddaert
Headquarters: Vlaanderen, Belgium
Founded: 2018

Michael Goddaert, founder of DOMANI Yachts, spent years working on the perfect sailboat prototype out of his yard. Today he’s an integral part of Belgium’s leading electric boat company!

The company is currently promoting its DOMANI E32 Chaseboat, a zero-emission boat built with range and speed in mind. Soundproof pumps, motor and propellor, make your adventures a lot less damning on the ears.

Those who search for elegance on the high seas will have undoubtedly heard of DOMANI already. They have stolen the show, so to speak, at a few notable boat expos after all. The DOMANI S30 was also a nominee of the prestigious “European Yacht of the Year Award” in 2019.

Best Boat: DOMANI S30 Sport (yacht)

Edorado Marine: An Invite Only Type Of Deal

Headquarters: Dordrecht, Holland
Founded: 2014

Edorado Marine has the need for speed, or at least that’s the impression we get given they specialise in powerboats. Their website is invite-only, just to give you an idea of how high-end this company is.

The company is currently working on the Edorado 8S, an electric foiling tender that can hit speeds of 40 knots. We have yet to receive a release date for this electric speedboat.

Best Boat: Edorado 8S

Elco Motor Yachts: Electric Boats Straight Out Of The States

Headquarters: Athens, New York
Founded: 1987

Boat-building company Elco Motor Yachts, commonly known as “Elco,” have a very rich and storied history. The first electric boat they ever launched was in 1893, if you can believe that.

The company itself has operated during multiple windows, with the Elco we know today running from 1987.

These days, Elco assists other companies, such as Hunter Marine, to outfit yachts/boats with their outboard electric motors. They also specialise in inboard electric motors.

We need more heritage companies like Elco, in our opinion.

Electracraft: Power Boats With Solar Properties

Headquarters: Westlake Village, CA, US
Founded: 1975

The word ‘nifty’ comes to mind when thinking about US electric boat maker Electracraft.
These guys specialise in a range of solar-powered boats, the perfect option for freshwater lakes, rivers and saltwater harbours.

A cube-like design helps powerboats like the 182 TR stand out from the crowd.

Every boat in the Electracraft inventory, outside of the 18LS, 152TR and 15LS, have a giant solar panel located on the roof. In fact, their TRI-CAT series of boats can generate enough power to run 10 flatscreen TVs and more, all from energy harvested from the sun.

Best Boat: Electracraft 18LS

Grove Boats: Electric Boats Made With Swiss Engineering

Headquarters: Yvonand, Switzerland
Founded: 2010

Solar electric boats are the hallmark of one Grove Boats, a private manufacturer based in Switzerland responsible for manufacturing large-scale boats with greater passenger capacity.

Basically, they sell a lot of sustainable boats for tourism purposes.

Multiple variations of the companies popular Aquabus can be found on their website detailing the benefits of solar electric as a whole. We should highlight the Aquabus C60, which can transport up to 85 passengers in 100% electric or hybrid mode!

Electric batteries in Grove’s boats can travel autonomously up to 8 hours at cruising speed which is mighty impressive given the weight of some.

The company have a knack for using lithium batteries where applicable. You might have already found yourself on a Grove boat in the past; you just didn’t know it!

Best Boat: Aquabus 1050 T

NavAlt Boats: Makers Of The First Zero Emissions Ferry Boat

Headquarters: Kochi, India
Founded: 2013

A company that focuses primarily on boat-based electric solutions in India; meet NavAlt. Their first big break came in 2017 with the launch of Aditya, the first zero-emission ferry boat to make a splash in Indian water.

Like most solar electric boat companies, NavAlt supplies a lot of boats to tourism companies. The SUN CRUIZE is quite the specimen, powered only by solar and can carry over a dozen guests.

India is the fourth-biggest exporter of seafood globally, which explains why NavAlt has dedicated teams working on solar-powered fishing boats.

The low weight of these boats allows them to travel further distances without wasting as much power, as is the case with all solar-electric fishing boats.

Best Boat: NavAlt Ferry Boat

Oceanvolt always attract attention at boating events © Credit to Oceanvolt

Oceanvolt: The Electric Propulsion Expert

CEO: Tommi Lassila
Headquarters: Vantaa, Finland
Founded: 2004

Finnish company, Oceanvolt will surprise you; after all, they are the official supplier to Alex Thomson Racing. Not a lot of companies can claim such a feat to give you an idea of the level they work at.

This electric boat company is as multi-faceted as they come, known globally for their electric propulsion systems.

Oceanvolt deals more in solutions/parts but does stray every now and then. After all, they did work on the Pogo Loxo 32 electric cruiser, a joint effort alongside fellow experts in Pogo Structures. This boat can plane at 8 knots (9 mph) with a range of 60 NM.

Best Boat: Pogo Loxo 32

RAND Boats: A Key Player In Electric Boats

CEO: Carl Rand
Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
Founded: 2013

Consider RAND Boats pioneers of a wave-based movement. This Danish company has been crafting a wide selection of luxe leisure boats since 2013, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Current models, the Picnic 18 and the Escape 30, are similar in design but different in purpose/size. Think of the Picnic 18 as more of a family outing, and the Escape 30 as the perfect social-gathering yacht.

Denmark is a hotspot for electric maritime travel because of companies like RAND. Re-imaging the future of motorboats is just another day in the office for these guys.

Best Boat: Escape 30

Ruban Bleu: New Boats, Every Year

Headquarters: Pays de la Loire, France
Founded: 1992

Everyone knows that France is a hub for arts and culture, but did you know it’s also a pretty good spot to buy electric boats at? We’re talking about Ruban Bleu, specifically of course, a company that dates back to 1992.

Ruban Bleu offers a lot more variation in the number of vessels they sell, unlike some of the other names mentioned on the complete list of electric boat brands.

Every boat sounds like a Top Gun character too. You have The Ace, The Sensas, The Scoop, The Legend, The Most and The Navette.

The company has grown tenfold over the past few years due to advancements in electric-based technology. Ruban Bleu understands that it’s a competitive market now, which is why they plan to release a new boat every year (their words, not ours).

Best Boat: The Navette

Schaaf: A Pioneer Of Electric Boats

CEO: Jörg Schaaf
Headquarters: Dresden, Germany
Founded: 2016

German boat maker Schaaf wants you to know that they have a “passion for style and performance,” and who can blame them.

Have you seen the shape/spec of the Tender15? Aesthetically, the Tender15 showcases modern design/innovation in full tilt.

Schaaf will look to make a big splash with plans to launch the Tender24 at some point in the future. Will they sink or swim? We think the latter, given how well received the previous iteration was.

Best Boat: Tender15

Vision Marine Technologies: An Electric Boat Master

CEO: Alex Mongeon
Headquarters: Quebec, Canada
Founded: 1995

Canadian electric boat company Vision Marine Technologies is one of the more extensive manufacturers you’ll come across.

After all, their catalogue of boats is varied, with multiple models to choose from, like the Volt 180 and Fantail 217.

Vision Marine Technologies utilise fiberless in the construction of most boats which goes to show the level of quality you’re dealing with. All of their vessels are certified by the appropriate coast guard. In other words, they do a fair amount of business overseas.

The company prides itself on crafting battery-powered boats that are virtually noiseless. They claim to be the only electric boat company to use lithium in their batteries, promoting high-performance motors above all else.

Best Boat: Volt 180

Vita Yachts: An E Boat Staples Since 2017

Founded: 2017

Another mainstay in the world of electric boats goes by the name Vita Yachts.

The companies plan is simple: “to reduce the impact of boating on the marine environment through the development of an all-electric and integrated ecosystem of marine superchargers, high-performance electric powertrains and fully electric yachts.”

Every decision the company makes has sustainability in mind. For example, last October, Vita Yachts announced that all-electric boat chargers would be made from recycled aluminium.

The company initially began to pick up steam at the 2018 Monaco Solar and Energy Boat Challenge when it showcased the Vita X, an electric powerboat with an extensive list of features.

Best Boat: Vita X

Many consider X Shore the Tesla of the electric boat © Credit to X Shore

X Shore: The Tesla of Electric Boats

CEO: Jenny Keisu
Headquarters: Stockholme, Sweden
Founded: 1996

All-electric boat company X Shore is hailed by many as “the Tesla of the electric boats,” a title they probably agree with given the attention to detail found on their Eelex 8000 e-boat.

Premium smart capabilities and a 120kWh electric battery on this boat can rival any land-based competition with ease.

The company was founded in 1996 by Swedish entrepreneur Konrad Bergström. X Space operates out of Sweden but has plans to expand in other countries in and out of Europe. The company has received quite a lot of funding as of late from notable industry heads from the likes of Google and Bootcamp, respectively.

Company partners of this electric boat company include key names like Rolls Royce Marine, Storebro and Chalmers University.

In other words, X Space is leading the charge in electric boat design/manufacturing in Scandinavia, and perhaps, the world!

Best Boat: Eelex 8000

Zin Boats: Electric Boat-Maker Using EV Batteries

Owner: Piotr Zin
Based In: Seattle, US

Zin Boats is a Seattle startup owned by longtime sailboat enthusiast Piotr Zin. In fact, the man himself has been designing racing sailboats for the better part of 20 years whilst working other jobs — one of them at BMW.

The Z2R is innovation at its finest, relying on customised BMW i3 batteries fitted to a Torqueuedo engine. This electric speedboat can travel up to 35 mph, making it lightning quick. Furthermore, the Z2R can travel up to 100-miles at a time; not bad, right?

Zin Boats receives a lot of enquiries from Europe. Could this homegrown company be a worthy adversary to the likes of X Shore in time? We certainly think so.

Best Boat: Z2R

Electric Boat Brands: The Complete List, From Candela To X Shore

So what have we learned? Hopefully, your answer involves something to do with how surprised you were at the number of electric boat companies there are in the current maritime market.

It’s like we said, you might have already been on an electric boat in the past without knowing, as certain companies buy a lot of electric boats to use for tourism/public transport purposes!

One thing’s for sure, electric cars could have some serious competition on their hands if more electric boats come out of the woodwork. The power in electric boats is, if anything, a lot more impressive compared to electric cars due to the sheer energy needed to make them move!

More of an electric car type? Check out our complete list of electric car companies.

Electric Boat FAQs

Are electric boats noiseless?

Yes, a lot of electric boats with the right battery are virtually noiseless! This is one of the many benefits that come with owning a vehicle outfitted with an electric battery.

Which is better, an inboard motor or an outboard motor?

An outboard motor is a self-contained unit fitted to the rear of most boats. They come in various types, including electric outboard motor variants, like those sold by Elco.

Inboard motors, on the other hand, are high-performance engines made for marine use. Electric inboard motors are known to be incredibly powerful and a lot more efficient in preserving energy.

Which you choose will depend entirely on budget and the boat you own/are looking at.

Which is the best electric boat company?

The answer to this question will come down to personal preference. Every company hopes to be the Tesla of boats, although there are companies content with paving the future of electric transport vehicles. In other words, they aren’t too fussed about status.

Speaking of, have you checked out our ultimate guide to electric transport? We cover electric boats in a lot more detail there.

What types of electric boats are there?

As you can see above, there is a wide selection of electric boat types out there for you to discover. Electric speedboats, electric yachts and electric fishing boats are some of the most common types of electric boat you’ll come across.

How much are electric boats?

The answer to this question will depend on the boat type/company you’re looking at. Luxury yachts are, obviously, the most expensive of the bunch, with electric fishing boats being more on the cheaper side.

Martin Punter

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