One of the newest all-electric boats, the 26′ 2″ Eelex 8000 comes from X Shore a groundbreaking company in Stockholm, Sweden. The company says the Scandinavian-designed boat, with a flat bow and an open transom, has a top speed of 40 knots. At 25 knots, it has a range of 50 nm, and in the 8-knot area it has a range of 100 nm.
X Shore was founded by Konrad Bergström, an entrepreneur from a boating family who was worried about increasing plastic and pollution in the water. He wanted to make a green boat that left no carbon footprint, that was quiet and smoke-free. The available hull colors reflect the natural habitat: moss green, sand, and coffee.
A prototype boat was powered by two Torqeedo Deep Blue 80i engines and two BMW i3 lithium-ion batteries. Bergström say more details are coming soon, but he’s working with Rolls-Royce to test the optimal combination of hull, shaft, prop and rudder. The boat’s hull shape is fairly unique, and almost gives a new meaning to a stepped hull (see the rendering above). For easy maneuvering, it has bow and stern thrusters.
The Eelex 8000 can hold 12 passengers, and it has some individual seats crafted from thick saddle leather. The open interior is modular; a buyer can customize it to his own uses. The bow opens up so passengers can get on and off the boat easily.
So far, buyers can choose between 90 kWh and 120 kWh batteries. They charge in eight to 12 hours. The boat has a 24-inch touchscreen display on the helm console showing the nautical miles and time left on the current charge, and it is updated continuously. When the display reads 0%, the battery still has a 20% charge, so you should be able to reach a charging point safely.
The Eelex 8000 has an LOA of 26’ 2”, a beam of 8’ 5”; a draft of 2’ 6”, and a displacement of 4,850 pounds. It is scheduled to be in production next year.
