An Electric Boat Named Amy

🏄🏾‍♂️VIVA ELECTRIC JETS

Viva Electric Jets is a Finnish builder of battery-powered personal watercraft. The business grew from Snowsus Ltd., founded in Oulu in 2018, and operates in Mikkeli under chief executive Timo Kronqvist.

The flagship craft uses a sharp V hull with angular styling and a 500-litre sealed bow locker. Hull length is 4.0 m with a 1.4 m beam. Weight is 440 kg in carbon GT trim and 470 kg in fiberglass Cruizer trim; both carry a 200 kg payload.

A 27 kWh lithium battery drives a mixed-flow Alamarin jet through either a 130 kW motor in the GT or a 60 kW unit in the Cruizer. The GT reaches 50 knots (58 mph) while the Cruizer peaks at 35 knots.

The pack charges from 10 to 80 percent in one hour on a DC fast charger or about twenty hours on household current. Range is 50 km in eco mode, equal to roughly two hours of mixed riding.

Standard equipment includes twin digital displays, LED lighting and a bio-composite hull that cuts manufacturing carbon footprint by half compared with oil-based laminates.

Available for pre-order.

Learn more, here.

🖌️A BOAT NAMED AMY

Amy is a solar-electric runabout by Finnish builder Elvene. The 6.5-metre craft premiered at Boot Düsseldorf, held 18–26 January 2025.

A composite hull carries a 48-volt propulsion system. Owners choose single or twin outboards rated between 3 and 50 kW. Battery capacity ranges from 22 to 44 kWh and feeds integrated solar panels that add 800–1 300 Wp. Top speed exceeds 20 knots. Length is 6.5 m, beam 2.1 m, and displacement starts at 700 kg. CE category is C6. Solar range is unlimited at displacement speed, and the battery alone delivers more than 100 nautical miles at reduced throttle.

The deck plan pairs an open bow and sundeck with a modular cockpit that can carry either a side or centre helm. Standard equipment includes natural cork flooring, chart plotter, echo sounder, infotainment screen, Bluetooth stereo, and wireless phone charging. Optional extras add a fridge, canopy, searchlight, and freshwater shower.

Amy runs without shore power. Integrated solar charging covers hotel loads and propulsion at low speeds, while full power remains available when required.

Elvene builds in Jakobstad, a coastal town with a long boat-building heritage. The yard blends that legacy with lightweight composites and off-grid solar engineering to deliver craft that need no fuel or grid charging.

🏄🏾‍♂️ ELECTRIC BOAT SECTOR GROWTH

A recent survey shared by Plugboats reveals a significant shift in the boating industry, with 54% of U.S. boat owners open to purchasing an electric boat for their next vessel. The 2025 U.S. Boat Owners Sustainability Study, conducted by Unmuted Consumer Insights, surveyed over 750 boat owners across various recreational boating types, including fishing boats, pontoons, cabin cruisers, and sailboats.

The findings highlight a growing preference for sustainability, with 68% of respondents noting that a brand’s commitment to eco-friendly practices influences their purchase decisions and more than half of boaters considering electric for their next purchase. As the electric boat market is projected to reach $16.6 billion by 2031, the industry is poised for transformation, offering boaters sustainable, high-performance options for a greener future on the water.

Read Plugboat’s article, here.

⚓️ SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK

With AI image creators rising in prominence, here is a render of Grok’s vision for Tesla boat (presumably electric).

⚙️ WEEKLY EVENTS & NEWS ITEMS

• eFoil — Flite debuts the “FLITELab*” modular board line. Announced on 30 July, the new AMP_Board decks pair with a swappable AMPJet power cartridge so riders can switch between prone-, wing- and down-wind foiling on a single electric platform. (link)

• ePWC/WPWC — Viva Electric Jets previews Viva 2.0. At a private demo in Helsinki (29–30 July), the Finnish start-up let guests test-ride its 100 kW, longer-range Viva 2.0 jet-ski, highlighting quieter direct-drive performance. (link)

• Electric outboards — Vision Marine targets the tender segment. A 28 July release outlines how deploying its 180 HP E-Motion outboard through newly acquired Nautical Ventures dealerships positions the firm for growth in luxury and super-yacht tenders. (link)

• Electric outboards — Newport Vessels teases 6 HP NT600 launch. Email and social posts dated 30 July invite early access to the NT600, a lightweight 6 HP-equivalent motor built for boats up to 16 ft; public release is set for 7 August. (link)

• Commercial — Goa opens bids to lease its stalled solar-electric ferry. The River Navigation Department issued an EOI on 1 August to rent out the 100-passenger “St Pedro,” aiming to revive zero-emission commuter service on the Mandovi River. (link)