The challenge of electrifying yachts
Range anxiety at sea can be life-threatening and is unacceptable. Currently, recharging a battery pack can only be achieved by a backup generator or shore power as solar and hydro-generation are not enough. An electric-hybrid system only averages 25% on fuel savings and can be very expensive.
Electric-hybrid systems are expected to see a market share of only 3% by 2030.
With an annual growth of 4.3%, the recreational marine sector will emit 5x more CO2 than in 1990…
…This is a huge failure when measured against globals goals.
We need a solution that will incentivise everyone to make the change. We need to offer yachts a very short ‘payback’ time, more comfort, and even more safety than what a pair of diesel engines can offer.
CMG – Your charge made good – refers to the prediction of the battery state at the end of your passage or journey exactly as an electric car does today. This allows you to choose a boatspeed that ensures a safety margin at all times.
Going slower uses less energy, and if the sails could push you faster, our redesigned propulsion system slows the boat down and harvests the energy.
The CMG prediction can be maintained during variations in forecast conditions by adjusting the sails and course.
Charge Made Good is a sailor’s solution to removing fossil fuels, and it works for everyone.
The Plan
We have designed a demonstration vessel – Whio II – to showcase the CMG approach to the yachting world. We want to finance this project by working with mass-market boatbuilders to take a suitable model for this technology so that we can reach our goal of having 100 vessels in the water that utilise the CMG method. This means that people will be able to try before they buy or retrofit their own vessels.