Emission-Free Sea Travel Achieved with Electric Boats

Craig Gordon, a Baltimore resident, spends his weekdays as the lead architect of cloud strategy for an electric utility company. On weekends, he pursues his love for competitive bass fishing.

Gordon avoids traditional gas-powered boats with noisy, polluting engines. Instead, he uses a cutting-edge electric outboard motor from Seattle-based Pure Watercraft, which won him over with its lightweight design, durable lithium-ion batteries, and high-performance motor.

Thanks to electric propulsion, Gordon can fish in local reservoirs where gas engines are prohibited. "It's more affordable, eco-friendly, convenient, and requires less upkeep compared to gas-powered systems," he shares via email. "You can fish and compete for a fraction of the cost."

Electric boat propulsion has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, driven by the need to cut pollution and noise, as well as the technology's cost-efficiency and low maintenance. U.S. sales of electric outboard motors are projected to nearly double, rising from $63 million this year to $120 million by 2024, as per a June report by Industry Research.

The growing significance of electric propulsion was highlighted when Greta Thunberg, the teenage climate activist, reached New York harbor in 2019 after crossing the Atlantic. Her sailboat was escorted to its dock by electric-powered boats from Torqeedo, a leading manufacturer in the field.

Electric Propulsion Technology Has Existed Since the 1830s

Electric boat propulsion traces its origins to the 1830s when Boris Semonovitch Iakobi equipped a 24-foot naval sloop with a motor powered by batteries to drive paddle wheels. The vessel, named Elekrokhod, was tested on the Neva River, as detailed in Kevin Desmond's book "Electric Boats and Ships: A History." The technology evolved, and electric boats gained traction in the late 1800s, even making an appearance at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where attendees paid 25 cents for rides on electric-powered launches.

However, just as gasoline-powered engines overshadowed early electric cars, petroleum-fueled pleasure boats became the norm on waterways.

Electric propulsion, however, never completely disappeared, as highlighted in a 1975 "Popular Mechanics" article that praised the benefits of "boating without gasoline."

Rising fuel costs weren't the only issue with petroleum-powered outboard motors. By the late 20th century, pleasure boats with outboard motors were using 1.6 billion gallons (6 billion liters) of fuel annually, releasing significant pollution into the environment. These motors were highly inefficient, with 20 to 30 percent of fuel exiting unburned or partially burned, directly contaminating air and water, as noted by the environmental group Sailors for the Sea. Operating one of these motors for an hour produced pollution equivalent to driving a car for 800 miles (1,287 kilometers).

Stricter emission standards, implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency between 1998 and 2006, forced manufacturers to create cleaner gasoline-powered outboard motors. Despite reduced emissions, boaters still faced excessive noise levels.

These issues became clear to Andy Rebele, founder of Pure Watercraft, a former college rower and coach turned entrepreneur and investor, when he purchased a recreational boat years ago. He found the gasoline-powered outboard motor noisy and unreliable. "Essentially, all the drawbacks of boats stem from gas propulsion," he explains.

Rebele chose to pursue electric propulsion but found that existing options were limited to speeds of just 5 mph (8 km/h). "I wondered why a Tesla could hit 120 mph, but electric boats couldn't," Rebele remembers. "The companies had no explanations, but I was convinced it was achievable."

In 2011, Rebele established Pure Watercraft and spent years creating a system featuring high-performance batteries paired with a robust, lightweight motor and controller, leveraging advancements from the electric vehicle industry. In comparison, he notes, "gas-powered motor manufacturers are still relying on 1950s car industry technology."

Pure Watercraft shipped its first units in September 2019. The system, priced at $14,500 for the motor and batteries plus $2,000 for a charger, enables boats like fishing or inflatable models to reach speeds of around 25 mph (40 km/h), according to Rebele. While designed for minimal noise, complete silence is unattainable due to wind and wave interference.

Burning Gasoline Emits CO2

Switching to electric outboard motors offers significant pollution reduction. Burning one gallon of gasoline releases 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as stated on the U.S. government's Fueleconomy.gov website. However, electric propulsion alone won't fully eliminate a boat's carbon footprint unless the electricity used to charge the batteries comes from renewable, fossil fuel-free sources.

Rebele highlights that electric propulsion also cuts down on other harmful pollutants from outboard motors. A northern California rowing association, an early Pure Watercraft customer, aims to replace gas-powered motors on its eight coaching boats. This change will reduce non-CO2 pollutants, such as particulates, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen, which contribute to smog and acid rain, equivalent to removing 1,000 cars from the roads.

Electric outboard motors also allow for retrofitting older boats. In this video by the American Society of Naval Engineers, a Pure Watercraft motor powers a mahogany boat constructed in 1929.

This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global initiative involving over 250 news organizations to enhance climate change reporting.