Electric propulsion is slowly making its way into bigger boats and much like in the auto industry, it is starting with more premium products – not unlike Tesla. Q-Yachts is jumping onboard with the Q30 all-electric day cruiser yacht. The Finland-based startup says that it aims to become the ‘Tesla of the seas.’ The company is enabled by Oceanvolt, a manufacturer of electric propulsion systems for sailboats. Janne Kjellman, the founder of Q-Yachts, has been working “in stealth mode” on the project for several years. It was finally unveiled a few months ago and now they are making their first delivery. Kjellman said: “We are confident that this is the beginning of something big. We are very pleased to have two young friends who appreciate the unique values which Q-Yachts stands for and who like our design, as our first owners” The first owners are Jare Tiihonen (alias Cheek) and Jens Kyllönen (former professional poker player). They released a quick video to celebrate the first delivery: VIDEO The company says that its approach is inspired by Tesla: “Ever since Jare and Jens came out for the first test drive, it has been clear that the unique concept of Q-Yachts and the stunning looks of the Q30, are something which really appeals to a broader public than just traditional boating people. Therefore Q-Yachts goal is to reach a market position such as Tesla has in the electric car market. Q-Yachts, the Tesla of the Seas?” As for the specs, the Q30 is equipped with an Oceanvolt AXC20 electric motor with a 20kW continuous power output, which enables a cruising speed of 9 knots and a max speed of 15 knots. The 9.3-meter long boat is offered with two different battery pack options: 30 kWh or 60 kWh. With the 30 kWh pack, you can expect a cruising range of about 42 nautical miles and 22 nautical miles at max speed. The 60 kWh pack will increase that to 80 and 40 nautical miles. Those specs somewhat limit the capacity of the Q30 to a day cruiser, but it has also been optimized for that purpose. With the ultra quiet Oceanvolt powertrain and the “hydrodynamically optimized hull”, the boat produces minimal noise and wake – resulting in a very relaxing experience. Q-Yachts says that it also made the boat to be fairly convenient to operate and to own: “The goal has also been to develop a boat which is easy to use and own, and which puts the focus on enjoying “the ride” with minimal hassle. Hence the Q30 boasts with features/properties such as: minimal maintenance, easy to use custom App installed in the iPad supplied with the boat, the boat can be transported on a trailer, the boat fits into a 40’ container (for longer shipment).” Unfortunately, they haven’t released pricing information and market availability beyond delivering the first unit in Finland. Here’s the full specs sheet of the Q30: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast. VIDEO
Finnish start-up Q-Yachts has unveiled its Q30 all-electric day cruiser vessel. The 9.3 m yacht, which is equipped with an Oceanvolt AXC20 motor with a 20 kW continuous power output. The yacht was designed by the company and built in Finland at their own expense. There are two battery pack options: a 30 kWh unit with a cruising range of about 42 nautical miles and 22 at top speed, and a 60 kWh pack that increases range to 80 and 40 nautical miles.