Tornado Boats has introduced the climate neutral 6m ZERO-E coach boat, which is powered by Torqueedo’s Deep Blue Blue 50R outboard and features a 40 kWh Deep Blue battery.
The coach boat for sailing clubs was launched in response to World Sailing’s Challenge 2024, which asks competitors to halve the number of combustion-powered coach boats at Olympic Class events by 2024 and eliminate fossil fuel-powered official boats by 2025.
Lars Hjorth, owner of rigid inflatable boat (RIB) manufacturer Tornado Boats, explained the story behind the vessel’s creation: “I started looking into building an electric coach boat about three years ago, but thought the price was too high for the market at the time. Now, I believe the market is ready, partially due to the automotive industry [adaption of the technology] and partially due to World Sailing’s Challenge 2024. This boat will help to drive customers to the emission-free propulsion option.”
Boatbuilders at Tornado modified a 6m RIB to fit Deep Blue’s energy-dense, high-capacity battery suspension system into the hull and manufactured a custom battery cover that included the seats in the boat. They also built a compartment for the cooling system and system management unit.
Hjorth said, “The performance of the boat is in many ways very much the same as if it was powered by a 70hp petrol outboard engine. Our aim was to get exactly this – a boat that performs like a ‘normal’ coach boat and doesn’t feel limited by the propulsion system.”