Electric boat interest picking up

Imagine being to electric boats what Tesla is to electric cars. A NZ company named ZeroJet has every intention of being just that - leading the way in a growing industry.

This company has created the first turn-key electric jet propulsion system for boats. ZeroJet’s ambitions are grand - eliminating the need for combustion engines on the water.

Co-founder Bex Rempel told RNZ’s Jessie Mulligan the market is there and the need for environmentally responsible engines on the water is just as compelling as the need for non-combustion cars on the road (although major engineering issues make electric boats a harder challenge than producing electric cars).

A lot of people see electric as the way of the future, she says, and believes having electric motors on the water is something governments and consumers will champion.

The last two years have seen business at ZeroJet pick up significantly.

Check out this interview for more information on the battery size, running time, knots reached, and much more.

And as for what’s being noticed by those going for a test drive…sound is up there.

“They’re blown away by the sound,” Rempel tells. “They’re not expecting it when they jump in the boat. You can hear the water, and the birds and you can have a conversation.”

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