Highfield just announced it will display a new electric-powered RIB at the Annapolis show starting October 5, and a new electric-jet RIB and a new Sport RIB at the Fort Lauderdale show later in the month.
The Annapolis powerboat show will be the debut for the Highfield Classic 340E (pictured) powered by a 9.9 Navy 6.0 Evo electric outboard from ePropulsion. The new RIB is 11’ 1” long and it has a top speed of 10 knots under silent electric power. The aluminum hull has a 15 degree deadrise for performance, it weighs 157 pounds, and it can carry up to six people.
Highfield says its ZeroJet330, making its U.S. debut at Fort Lauderdale, is the world’s first production RIB with electric jet propulsion. (Its first showing was at the Düsseldorf show last January.) For this 11-foot boat, Highfield collaborated with Zero, a New Zealand electric jet propulsion company. It has sporty performance, a top speed of 22 knots, and extra safety since it uses a jet pump rather than a propeller. The ZeroJet330 has twin 48V LiFeP04 lithium-ion batteries, with a running time of 7.5 hours.
The Highfield Sport 88, also being introduced at Fort Lauderdale, is powered by twin 150-hp outboards. At 26’ 7”, it can serve as a primary boat or as a tender, with a maximum capacity of 15 people. The aft cockpit can serve as an casual dining spot for six with a removable table and a fridge under an aft-facing seat. The rear seat folds over to form a sun pad, and there’s a large sun deck on the bow. The hardtop is standard.
Highfield has been making aluminum-hulled RIBs in China since 2011. It now as dealers in 46 countries, and makes aluminum-hulled RIBs from 6 to 30 feet. Read more:
