Eco Factor: Boat powered by diesel/electric hybrid engine generates solar electricity to recharge batteries.
Hybrid technology is nothing new for the automobile world, with major car manufacturers laying their bets of both diesel/electric and petrol/electric versions. However, taking the same technology to the water world isn’t as easy and as cheap. French & Webb is one of the world’s few boat builders who’ve opted to run their boats on hybrid engine. The designers started working on a diesel/electric day boat last year and the 29-foot boat is expected to take to the water next month.
Obviously the addition of an ecofriendly engine didn’t come cheap but the inventors claim that the extra expenditure can be recouped in terms of fuel savings. The electric engine of the boat can propel it to a speed of up to 7 knots, where the batteries last for about three hours, reducing the speed to five knots enhances the operating time to about five hours. The back-up diesel engine increases the speed to about 18 knots and lasts for over 35 hours consuming a gallon of fuel each hour.
The diesel engine also helps recharge the batteries and the boat also includes roof-mounted solar array to recharge the batteries on the move. With those systems installed, the user can be sure that his ride in the over water won’t be as polluting as it is in other comparable day boats.
Via: VillageSoup
