Electric cars have become a commodity these days but what about a zero-emission luxury flying boat? The pictured vessel is called SpiritBARTech35EF and is claimed to be the first coming with a fast cruising range of 100 nautical miles.
The SpiritBARTech35EF was developed by Spirit Yachts and engineering firm BAR Technologies, using a fully electric powertrain from Equipmake. The UK-based firm led by former F1 engineer Ian Fole offers electrification solutions for the automotive, aerospace, marine, mining, off-highway, bus, coach, and marine industries.
Equipmake’s bespoke powertrain comprises a lightweight HPM-400 electric motor that produces 107 hp (80 kW / 109 PS) with an integrated gearbox, an HPI-450 IGBT inverter, and a battery pack with a capacity of 120 kWh.
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The purpose-built flying boat with the long name measures 35ft. Thanks to the carbon fiber reinforced shell and the mixture of titanium and cold-molded wood used in its construction, it tips the scales at 1 tonne (2,205 lbs).
Furthermore, the three retractable foils minimize drag, allowing a top speed of 28 knots (32 mph / 52 km/h). Interestingly, the 100 nautical mile range which translates to 115 miles (185 km) can be achieved at a high speed of 22 knots (25 mph / 41 km/h). Note that the advertised range of the SpiritBARTech35EF marks a significant step up compared to the 57 nautical miles (66 miles/106 km) of the Candela C-8 electric speedboat which uses a much smaller 69 kWh Polestar-sourced battery pack.
According to Skyquestt, the electric marine market which was worth 5.64 billion in 2022, is estimated to be worth $16.6 billion by 2030, showing great potential for new players to enter the industry. Following their first project, Equipmake and BAR Technologies said they are “exploring further opportunities to collaborate”.
