The future of Sydney Harbour could be noise-free, pollution-free and wake-free if electric boats are embraced – but there’s a catch.
This month, marine charging network company Seavolt installed the country’s first fast charging station at The Quays Marina in Pittwater, with plans to install a dozen moreSeavolt chief executive officer Chris Cudlipp said the stations can fully recharge a boat’s battery in one hour. The electricity costs about half as much as fuel from a marina, at around one dollar per kilowatt-hour, compared to around $2.60 per litre of diesel fuel.Boat Industry Association general manager Neil Patchett said interest in electric propulsion was increasing “exponentially”, but said the boats were better suited to some uses than others.
Prospective buyer Warren Bingham believes the industry will develop quickly with easy access to fast chargers. He’s been keen to buy electric since he sold his 23-foot internal combustion engine boat 18 months ago.