If you haven’t heard of X Shore yet, we can guarantee you will soon. Hugo Andreae takes his X Shore Eelex 8000 all-electric sports boat to see how he stacks up against his gas-powered rivals…
Founded in 2012 by Swedish tech entrepreneur Konrad Bergstrom to develop and build the world’s first mass-produced electric boats, X-Shore has attracted thousands of columns of media coverage and corresponding investment.
Six years later, its original aim of building an all-electric craft with a top speed of 40 knots and a cruising range of 50nm at 25 knots has been revised to a top speed of over 30 knots and a range of 100 nm at displacement speed only.
But above all, the X Shore Eelex 8000 is now under construction. The numbers might not be huge yet, but with over 80 orders taken and 41 boats built, it’s a proven product that, on paper, at least has the pace and ability to compete with its gas-powered counterparts. .
And unlike its Swedish rivals, the Candela C-7 and C-8, it doesn’t rely on computer-controlled foil technology to deliver that performance, just a planing hull and a powerful shaft-drive electric motor. linked to a huge battery. .
It’s a compelling offering that we wanted to test for ourselves, but finding one that we could test at sea during a Covid-affected launch period wasn’t easy. We finally managed to catch one in Palma, Mallorca last month.
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Being a 2021 boat owned by the local Agapi yacht club, the hull and stern were not as clean as a brand new boat so keep that in mind when looking at our range and performance.
However, having been used and abused by several club members for the better part of a year, it proves that this is not a flimsy piece but a sturdy and practical boat that can be grounded. work like any other boat.
Read Hugo’s full review of the X Shore Eelex 8000 in the July issue of MBY, out June 2.
X Shore Eelex 8000 Specifications
LOA: 26 ft 2 in (8 m)
Shine: 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m)
Disorganized: 2 feet 7 inches (0.8 m)
Shift: 2600kg
Battery capacity: 126kWh
Loading time: 6 hours at 32A
Test engine: 225 kW Brusa brushless electric motor
Maximum test speed: 30 knots
Interval: 216nm at 3 knots / 39nm at 19 knots
DDR Category: C for 10 people
Designate: X Shore
Starting price: €249,000 (excl. VAT)
