X Shore's Eelex 8000 - The Tesla Of Electric Boats - Is Coming To The US
EVs aren't just for the road, with Swedish boat-maker X Shore revealing its first model for the US market, the all-electric Eelex 8000. Modeled, apparently, on the South American electric eel, the boat has a 225 kW electric motor capable of propelling it at up to 35 knots with minimal noise in comparison to combustion equivalents.
The dual 60 kWh lithium-ion batteries, meanwhile, can deliver up to 100 miles of range, X Shore says. They're charged in 5-8 hours with a three-phase 240V outlet, or 1-2 hours with a DC fast charger.
Much like a Tesla, the Eelex 8000 is designed to be gadget-like in more than just its source of power. The software, for example, can be remotely updated OTA; X Shore plans to add features like self-docking, for instance. The same tech also allows the boats to act as mobile water analysis stations, taking readings of things like PH and oxygen levels.
Dubbed Sea Lab, the system will allow X Shore to collate anonymized data on how and where the boats are being used, and shape future products and updates, the company suggests. It also logs real-time battery and motor performance, along with metrics like temperature, humidity, pressure, and the boat's location and system status.
On the sustainability front, in addition to electric drive rather than combustion, the Eelex 8000 uses more environmentally-sound materials too. That means cork to replace teak, and optional Flax fiber instead of fiberglass and carbon fiber. PET and recycled plastic have also been used, and it'll be offered in Moss, Sandy, and Coffee finishes which blend a little more seamlessly into the environment rather than sticking out.
Owners will be able to unlock and power up the boat via their phone or smartwatch, and smart overboard detection means the Eelex 8000 should stop within 10 seconds of someone wearing a connected Garmin smartwatch going overboard more than 10 meters away or under the water. The cockpit has 24-inch Garmin marine-grade touchscreens, with support for the company's ActiveCaptain route management – including remotely planning trips from tablets or phones, and synchronizing it with the X Shore boat – while autopilot will be optional.
As for what you might want to do with the Eelex 8000, there X Shore says it has left things pretty flexible. There are more than 15 configurations available, suiting everything from pleasure cruises through to diving, fishing, and waterspouts. Loading capacity is over 5,500 pounds, and the rail system is designed to accommodate a variety of installed hardware, furniture, or other cargo.
Unsurprisingly, this all comes in at a little more expensive than the typical EV (and don't expect the US government to help with a tax incentive, either). First shown off last year, US-spec orders for the Eelex 8000 are being taken now, with the EV boat priced from $329,000.
