Production electric RIB launched at Düsseldorf boat show

[John Kennett]

RS Sailing has set up a new company RS Electric Boats and have announced production of the Pulse58 with a claimed range of over 35 nautical miles at 20 knots.



From Maritime Journal:

Pulse58 uses marinized electronic components already well proven in automotive use. A 57Kwh battery bank stored in a purpose designed underfloor structural case delivers up to 104v to the ground-breaking RAD drive propulsion unit. RAD drive is a unique and integral retractable drive unit that belt feeds power from the twin motors to a hub-less drive unit. The electronic management system controls all aspects of the drive, motor control and battery conditioning and also controls the electric drive tilt mechanism that lifts the RAD drive into the transom in shallow water.

The boat’s range is claimed to be ‘at least 35 nautical miles at its maximum speed (>20knots) so it can be expected to last for a day’s use under normal RIB usage and distances’. The leisure and coaching specification at launch will be complimented by commercial and superyacht versions in due course. The boat launches with a fully specified standard inventory including 57KWh capacity, electronic touchscreen display, Tech Grip cockpit non-slip and 5 years of software updates at €99,950.

More details:

https://www.maritimejournal.com/news...nge-@-20-knots

https://www.rssailing.com/pulse58/

[Dry Run]

I'd love to call Seastart out to that if it stopped working

[Bushrider]

I wish I had first the 99.950€ over for such toy [emoji3]

[Poly]

As a coach/safety boat I can see it has potential. Most travel short distances, need fast acceleration but not crazy top speed, spend lots of time at tick over and many are kept on pontoons or in sheds where charging is feasible. Add to that reservoirs that don’t like hydrocarbon pollution risk, neighbours who complain about noise, safety concerns and practical problems with buying, storing and decanting fuel and there is enough to create the “desire”. That hull shape is presumably for improved efficiency but is probably not as comfortable as a classic deep V in really poor conditions - but these boats only need to handle the worst that dinghy sailors will go out in.

The cost is eye watering, but perhaps the right grant funding with an eco message would make that palletable over a 30 grand petrol alternative...

Certainly, RS should understand that market and be able to get in front of their potential customers easily.

I’m more skeptical about tradition Leisure use, but I may be wrong... I’m sure there will be people who buy them as an Eco-vanity purchase like early Prius adopters.

[Last Tango]

Seriously....35Nm

I'ts hardly worth launching the boat for that.

50-150Nm would be a typical day out so I think they've just made another (very expensive) "tender" and that hull looks like it would slam like hell..

[Maximus]

Hopefully all innovations and small steps should be welcomed....but in a complicated entangled world of mass manufacturing and depleting natural resources there are and will be many cul de sacs.
With China alone pouring more Concrete in the last 6 yrs than the USA (1 tonne of concrete =at least 1 tonne of Co2) have in the last 100yrs!
It'll take some truly international cooperation to get things to shift...
Ultimately Electric powered transport is already proving to be unworkable on a LARGE International scale..in terms of resources and raw materials and high cost of charging infer structure and already stressed power supplies,many are looking more towards Hydrogen Fuel cells and Cold Fusion as the Big game changers.I have faith in Human ingenuity ultimately to rise to the challenge...I just hope the process is not Hijacked by Political evangelicals with other more nefarious agenda.
Ultimately for us this could be Peak Private (leisure craft) Rib time..So enjoy.

[Locozodiac]

Nice combo but darn expensive, will pas on this nice one...LOL!!

Happy Boating

[Fender]

Can you imagine how technology will change and evolve in the next 10 years
Progress isn't a bad thing, even if the evolution of a engineering application is currently just taking baby steps - yes its a lot of pennies for a limited range but that'll improve over time and not everyone wants to cross the Atlantic every weekend - I wouldn't be surprised if a fair percentage of trips in motor boats / RIB's are local to the crafts home berth, so for them a limited range isn't an issue ( not forgetting the quoted 35nm is at full speed, knock the throttle back and enjoy )

[Last Tango]

Some basic arithmetic.....

35Nm at 20kn = 1.75hrs

assuming 100% efficiency: 75Kwh battery / 1.75hrs =32 Kw

That equates to roughly 43hp on a very heavy 5mtr plus boat (again assuming 100% efficiency).

Anyone here think that'll will have sparkling performance.

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Some basic arithmetic.....

35Nm at 20kn = 1.75hrs

assuming 100% efficiency: 75Kwh battery / 1.75hrs =32 Kw

That equates to roughly 43hp on a very heavy 5mtr plus boat (again assuming 100% efficiency).

Anyone here think that'll will have sparkling performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJUhlRoBL8M

[Last Tango]

Obviously range is not a problem if you never get beyond the harbour wall,
You can always step out and paddle back to the shop for a couple of "AA"s..

The formula "E" racing teams are filling warehouses with used batteries that are destined for land-fill disposal because their contents are carcinogenic and they can't be recycled. Electric powered RIBs are not any sort of solution, it's an exercise in futility that's going to go the same way as Betamax tapes and the Sinclair C5. (If anyone is old enough to remember them)

[GuyC]

I think there is a market for electric powered boats even if it is not a RIB but it might be a customer driven thing rather than someone producing a product that they try and find a market for.

Amsterdam has now stipulated that from 2025 all boats on their canals should be electric. I don't know whether this is commercial vessels (tourist boats) or private leisure vessels as well.

If some of the superyacht venues did a similar thing for tenders arriving in the city centre to offload the owners and guests, it would force the market to adopt electric tenders or rowing / sailing boats I suppose.

It doesn't solve the question of the emissions in making or disposing of the things but it is one way forwards.

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by GuyC

I think there is a market for electric powered boats even if it is not a RIB but it might be a customer driven thing rather than someone producing a product that they try and find a market for.

Amsterdam has now stipulated that from 2025 all boats on their canals should be electric. I don't know whether this is commercial vessels (tourist boats) or private leisure vessels as well.

If some of the superyacht venues did a similar thing for tenders arriving in the city centre to offload the owners and guests, it would force the market to adopt electric tenders or rowing / sailing boats I suppose.

It doesn't solve the question of the emissions in making or disposing of the things but it is one way forwards.

Absolutely

Power to weight ratios in canal boats and the availability of charging facilities would make them ideal candidates for the "electric market".
But trying to "shoe-horn" a hundred grand electric RIB which, by their own figures is "not fit for purpose", into the market is not going to make them a serious option.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Obviously range is not a problem if you never get beyond the harbour wall,

You can always step out and paddle back to the shop for a couple of "AA"s..



The formula "E" racing teams are filling warehouses with used batteries that are destined for land-fill disposal because their contents are carcinogenic and they can't be recycled. Electric powered RIBs are not any sort of solution, it's an exercise in futility that's going to go the same way as Betamax tapes and the Sinclair C5. (If anyone is old enough to remember them)

Absolutely agree Re. Betamax / C5 et al. As Maxi says, the electric revolution will be leap frogged by better tech. Regardless of how big/efficient/cheap/recyclable they make batteries, they all have the same fundamental flaw, you’ve got to plug the buggers in somewhere & charge em. As the man said, if you want us all to be driving electric cars by 2025, we need to start building a load of nuclear power stations.....20 years ago.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

But trying to "shoe-horn" a hundred grand electric RIB which, by their own figures is "not fit for purpose", into the market is not going to make them a serious option.

I’m not sure it’s truely not fit for purpose. As I posted earlier there is a type of rib that burns less than 20L a day, doesn’t intend to get airborne off waves and has the potential for shoreside charging.

It may not be fit for YOUR purpose, but given RS’s involvement in dinghy sailing id be a bit surprised if they are totally wide of the mark for people who use ribs in a totally different way from you.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Poly

I’m not sure it’s truely not fit for purpose. As I posted earlier there is a type of rib that burns less than 20L a day, doesn’t intend to get airborne off waves and has the potential for shoreside charging.

It may not be fit for YOUR purpose, but given RS’s involvement in dinghy sailing id be a bit surprised if they are totally wide of the mark for people who use ribs in a totally different way from you.

I think if it was Blinged up, it would appeal to the super yacht tender market where:-

A, money’s no object
B, it’s only used for shunting between mooring & pontoon/harbourside bar
C, no issues carrying petrol in the hold of the mothership.
D, short range requirements
E, quiet etc
F, easy charging back onboard

So I wouldn’t write it off, we just need to look at it with a different pair of glasses on.

[GuyC]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I think if it was Blinged up, it would appeal to the super yacht tender market where:-

A, money’s no object
B, it’s only used for shunting between mooring & pontoon/harbourside bar
C, no issues carrying petrol in the hold of the mothership - it solves this issue. Engineers tend to hate having petrol on board.
D, short range requirements
E, quiet etc
F, easy charging back onboard
G, bonkersly makes them think they are environmentally conscious
H, lack of fumes when 'idling' alongside

So I wouldn’t write it off, we just need to look at it with a different pair of glasses on.

I agree

[GuyC]

Originally Posted by Poly

It may not be fit for YOUR purpose, but given RS’s involvement in dinghy sailing id be a bit surprised if they are totally wide of the mark for people who use ribs in a totally different way from you.

They have already drawn a dinghy towing point on the back.

[Tim M]

It’s a very interesting design. But that’s an insane price.

Monaco yacht club have recently replaced their tenders with electric ones. For that sort of environment it’s perfect. But I can’t imagine many British sailing clubs / schools / outdoor centres ordering these due to the price!

[Daibheid]

I’d like to see Elon Musk do one!

When you see how fast the original Tesla roadster evolved to the Tesla 3 in terms of price, performance, range etc, we might see electric Ribs proliferate in some applications much faster than expected.
We all know what maintenance costs are like on engines but electric cars are showing big savings on long term ownership and servicing costs. They also incur significantly less downtime because of simplified servicing. So hire and taxi companies are finding them very cost effective. No doubt there are marine applications where those same factors may provide the tipping point. It’s getting really interesting.