Soel, the innovative Dutch builder, just unveiled a new Senses 62 electric-powered catamaran with a massive 564 kWh battery that the company says provides “trans-ocean range.”
The 62 is Soel’s latest and largest yacht, and it uses battery packs and solar panels to replenish its power supply at sea. It’s also a massive yacht, with a 33’ 6” beam that represents more than half the cat’s length. That means it carries a lot of luxury space, inside and out.
The 62 has sleeping accommodations for nine passengers, plus three crew, who have separate cabins with outside access for privacy. It also has several lounges, two dining areas, an open galley with a bar, and a desk office.
Soel started building solar electric boats in 2016, with a focus on providing maximum efficiency. It now builds an electric ferry as well as a sustainable floating island called Soel Haven. In addition to large catamarans, the company builds the 35-foot Soel Cruiser (pictured below). With just electric power, the Cruiser tops out at 14 knots. With diesel/electric, a hybrid Cruiser hits 17 knots.
The new 62 has integrated solar panels on the roof that generate 17.6 kWp of solar energy, the equivalent of 50 kWh. The solar panels have Soel’s propriety active cooling system. The company says it helps increase the energy production by as much as 20 percent You don’t have to recharge at the dock, but the boat still has DC fast charging in addition to AC shore power.
The 62 comes with two propulsion systems, Cruise, or Power. The Cruise has two 100 kW electric motors, with 282 kWh of lithium battery capacity and a 100 kW DC generator. It cruises at 8 knots and tops out at 10 knots.
The Power version has two 200 kW electric motors, with 424 kWh of lithium battery capacity, and a 150 kW DC generator.
You also can add more battery capacity, up to the 564 kWh that theoretically can provide ocean-crossing range since the battery pack is constantly being recharged from the solar panels.
Running on just the batteries alone, at 8 knots the 62 has a range of 32 nm with the 282 kWh battery pack; 47 nm with the 424 kWh pack, and 63 nm with the 564 pack.
Specs.: LOA: 61’5”; Beam: 33’6”; Draft: 3’1”; Disp.: 36 tons; Fuel: 264 gals.; Water: 264 gals.; Power: 2×100 kW; 2×200 kW electric motors. Read more:
