Edison Marine Retro Electric Launch

[Sundays_Child]

"Oregon-based Edison Marine is now taking orders for its beautiful handbuilt 1940s-style electric mahogany powerboat, with whisper-quiet engines and zero emissions. The 17-ft. Edison Classic Cruiser will be ready for spring delivery at a base price of $100,000 with a single propeller engine and $120,000 for a twin propeller model. Hand crafted from solid African mahogany, the surprisingly lightweight barrel-back craft can reach speeds of up to 30 mph with twin 85-hp electric motors. It can cruise for 8-10 hours at hull speed on one charge of the batteries, which are fully rechargeable using a standard AC/DC 110/220V outlet in just 3-4 hours. Options include a full leather interior and an on board gas generator for remote battery charging."



http://www.edisonboats.com/

 

[Sundays_Child]

I'm no expert, but it seems odd that they aren't using brushless motors. I thought they were far more efficient...

Edit (from Wikipedia):

BLDC motors offer several advantages over brushed DC motors, including higher efficiency and reliability, reduced noise, longer lifetime (no brush erosion), elimination of ionizing sparks from the commutator, and overall reduction of electromagnetic interference (EMI). With no windings on the rotor, they are not subjected to centrifugal forces, and because the electromagnets are attached to the casing, the electromagnets can be cooled by conduction, requiring no airflow inside the motor for cooling. This in turn means that the motor's internals can be entirely enclosed and protected from dirt or other foreign matter. The maximum power that can be applied to a BLDC motor is exceptionally high, limited almost exclusively by heat, which can damage the magnets. BLDC's main disadvantage is higher cost, which arises from two issues. First, BLDC motors require complex electronic speed controllers to run. Brushed DC motors can be regulated by a comparatively simple controller, such as a rheostat (variable resistance). Second, many practical uses have not been well developed in the commercial sector. For example, in the RC hobby scene, even commercial brushless motors are often hand-wound while brushed motors use armature coils which can be inexpensively machine-wound.
BLDC motors are often more efficient at converting electricity into mechanical power than brushed DC motors. This improvement is largely due to the absence of electrical and friction losses due to brushes. The enhanced efficiency is greatest in the no-load and low-load region of the motor's performance curve.[citation needed] Under high mechanical loads, BLDC motors and high-quality brushed motors are comparable in efficiency.