Are electric boats the future? You can check them out at the Miami International Boat Show

Driving around, it’s becoming more common to see electric and hybrid cars, but what about boats?

While car engines have been shifting away from gasoline for years, the boating industry is just starting to catch up.

The Miami International Boat Show is returning Presidents Day Weekend after skipping 2021 due to the pandemic, with organizers expecting a record 100,000 people and plenty of new things for boating enthusiasts. Among them, several electric boating companies are trying to make a name for themselves and educate the public about what they say is the future of boating.

“Electric boats is a fast-growing segment. In the next decade you’re going to see a huge influx of electric and solar-powered boats,” said Larry Berryman, vice president of Miami Boating at Informa Markets, one of the organizers of the show. “I admit that 10 years ago, if you’d told me someone would try to build a 180-horsepower electric engine, I would have laughed, but now there are 200-horsepower engines that aren’t dependent on fossil fuels.”

Alexandre Mongeon, the founder and CEO of Vision Marine Technologies, is familiar with that doubt from people in the boating industry.

“People thought I was crazy eight years ago,” he said. Mongeon used to race Outerlimits 46 powerboats and decided to venture into making electric motors in 2015.

“I saw an open spot in the market. We debuted an electric boat at a race in 2016 and the crowd’s reaction was priceless,” he said.

Vision Marine Technologies now offers an electric 180-horsepower motor, which hooks up to the standard shore power plugs at most marinas. The company has four models of electric boats and is developing a fifth, which will go up to 100 mph.

The 180-horsepower motor takes about 6 hours to charge and when fully charged, will go about 50 nautical miles. Mongeon said the electricity it takes to charge the boat would cost roughly $5, compared to about $160 to fill up a gas-powered motor.

But an electric boat motor will cost you — they’re about 45% more expensive than traditional gas motors. But Mongeon said that the cost levels out after 175 hours of use, because you don’t have to fill up the gas tank. He said that as batteries become more common, more efficient and less expensive, he estimated electric and gas boat motors will be about the same price by 2025.

While a big enough battery could power huge ships, Vision Marine is marketing for small, day-use boats (18 feet to 24 feet) on lakes and rivers for middle-class consumers.

The environmental draw is obvious: Leisure boaters would no longer have to depend on fossil fuels and pollute waters less. Plus, the electric engine is odorless and silent when going 10 mph, and only makes a light hum when going 40 mph. Vision Marine officials also claim their customers will spend less in maintenance costs on electric boats.

Being a small company doing something new, Mongeon said his biggest challenge is educating and informing the public about electric boats.

“Consumers have apprehension about buying new technology,” he said. “I’d actually love to see big brands like Mercury and Yamaha (motor companies) embrace electric motors in order to help me educate the market.”

Consumers can rent Vision’s boats at the company’s headquarters in Newport Beach, California. Soon, South Florida boaters can, too. The company will start renting electric boats in Dania Beach upon completion of the new development Waves, a mixed-used project with a marina.

Hypercraft USA is another electric boating company displaying at the Miami International Boat show. They focus on the motor and batteries, rather than the boat’s hull.

“What’s different about electric motors for boats versus cars is that boats face much more resistance than cars going through water,” Hypercraft USA’s CEO Jake Hawksworth said. “But we’re at an inflection point in the marine industry where battery technology is getting better and more efficient, so they are more viable for boats.”

He said that the marine industry is about 10 years behind the auto industry when it comes to electric motors, but he expects they’ll catch up quickly.

“There aren’t a lot of electric options for boats right now,” he said. “But I think the technology will grow fast in the next two to five years and it’ll be more accessible to consumers.”

If you go to the Miami International Boat Show:

• The show runs from Feb. 16 - 20. Hours are: Thursday 10 a.m – 6 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets to the boat show can be purchased online here.

• The show is spread across six different venues: The Miami Beach Convention Center and adjacent Pride Park will show boats up to 49 feet, marine accessories, and small craft like jet skis and paddle boards.

• One Herald Plaza will feature power boats and motorboats from 30 feet to 135 feet. The nearby Sea Isle Marina will have boats available to test drive.

• Museum Park Marina will be dedicated to sail boats.

• Island Gardens will showcase super yachts and requires a separate ticket, which can be purchased here.

• Parking is available in garages downtown and near the convention center. There will be complimentary water taxis running between venues, so guests don’t have to park more than once. And there will be shuttles running from garages and water taxi stands.

This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 6:00 AM.