Mercury Racing hosted Princeton University’s Electric Speedboating (PES) team for a week of on-water testing at its Lake X facility in Florida this month.
PES’s Eagle 1 is a 5m hydroplane designed and built by PES in conjunction with J W Myers from Black Sheep Racing. The power system consists of two 356.4V battery modules and is equipped with a safety system that uses system status indicator lights for the high-voltage and low-voltage systems; emergency stops; a seven-point harness system; air tank; and a deployable airbag to ensure the safety of the driver and divers while testing at Lake X.
The powertrain is designed to reach over 300hp and sustain speeds of more than 233km/h for up to one minute. Driven by John Peeters, the test session with Mercury was reportedly the vessel’s first operation at these target speeds.
The Electric Kilo Hydro is a new generation of competitive hydroplane design, evolving from previous platforms with the integration of advanced electric propulsion systems and a modified Mercury Racing SSM4 gearcase.
“Lake X has always been a place where new ideas are put to the test,” said Chris Jenks, Mercury Racing’s development engineering manager. “Partnering with Princeton University on their Electric Kilo Hydro program was a great example of how academic innovation and high-performance marine engineering can come together. We were excited to provide a controlled environment where their team could gather meaningful data and continue pushing the boundaries of electric propulsion.”
“Testing at Lake X is a major milestone and honor for our program,” said Evan Callas, president of Princeton Electric Speedboating. “It gave us a rare opportunity to validate our electric propulsion system in a world-class environment while pushing performance limits and collecting critical data as we prepare for our next world record attempt later this year.
Lake X provided a controlled environment with on-site safety, rescue and technical support, helping Princeton refine data and prepare for its next record attempt.
Safety remained a priority, with protocols tailored for electric race boats and supported by experienced rescue divers.
American Power Boat Association president Kurt Romberg was also on-site, bringing additional expertise from his background in NASCAR aerodynamics.
“Electric propulsion is pushing the sport into a new era, requiring safety and performance to evolve together,” Romberg said. “This week at Lake X showed how the next chapter of powerboat racing is being built, through engineering, testing discipline and strong safety leadership.”
In related news, Vision Marine introduces six-year warranty for E-Motion 180E electric outboard