Photo courtesy BeneteauGroupe Beneteau today announced a partnership with electric outboard manufacturer Vision Marine to develop and market a line of electric powerboats. Beneteau will leverage its Four Winns brand to launch the initial models, which the company says will be available in spring 2023.
“After the construction and thorough testing of a first, jointly developed prototype in early 2022, the objective is to bring to market a 100 percent electric boat and propulsion package,” Erik Stromberg, Groupe Beneteau power and motor yacht product director, said in a statement.
“The key to electrification is to have a full analysis of the customer use case,” he added. “Many of the boats in our portfolio fit perfectly with a 100 percent electric solution. This solution is complementary and fully compatible with our other propulsion packages.”
Four Winns’ first electric model will be equipped with Vision’s 180-hp outboard and a 70-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
“Our high-end technology adapted from the state-of-the-art automotive market is the driver of our partnership with Groupe Beneteau,” Vision Marine COO Xavier Montagne said in the statement. “The E- Motion propulsion system is not only a motor and a high-voltage battery, but also a fully optimized powertrain system designed to increase performance and reduce maintenance.”
