Navico Partners with E1 Series, World’s First Electric Powerboat Championship

Oct 14, 2021

Photo credit: Lloyd Images / E1 Series

Navico has announced a partnership with the E1 Series, world’s first electric powerboating championship, scheduled to kick off in early 2023 with up to 12 teams set to race on a tight, technical course reaching speeds up to 50 knots (58mph; 93km/h). The announcement coincides with the E1 Series unveiling its first full-size model of the RaceBird electric powerboat at a presentation ceremony early this week at the Yacht Club de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Simrad® electronics will be the Official Marine Electronics Partner of the E1 Series, while C-MAP becomes the Official Cartography Partner. Both brands will assist to support the development of onboard systems and RaceBird’s cockpit for use in a future E1 Series powerboat racing championship.

“Navico is incredibly excited for this E1 Series partnership featuring Simrad® and C-MAP and to be part of the development process together with E1 and other partners towards designing and producing the most advanced electric race boats in the world over the next year,” said Knut Frostad, CEO of Navico. “The electrification journey is quickly taking hold in the boating industry and we believe the E1 Series is a perfect platform to raise the bar around innovation and encourage action in marine conservation and sustainability.”

The E1 Series partnership is designed to create the world’s first Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) sanctioned electric powerboat racing championship, with competition held close to shore in urban areas featuring the RaceBird, a hydrofoil-type boat now under development for use in the series. The RaceBird was designed by SeaBird Technologies and Victory Marine and features an electric outboard motor, enclosed safety canopy and hydrofoil technology. The boats will be powered by a 35kWh battery from Kreisel and a motor with 150 kW peak power output, with a projected top speed of 58mph (93 km/h). Using innovative hydrofoil technology, the RaceBird powerboats will rise high above the water’s surface, allowing for minimum drag and maximum energy efficiency. The boats will be manufactured by Victory Marine.

C-MAP and Simrad® products will provide specialist navigation and marine electronics for the RaceBirds and support craft at race events, integrating Simrad’s latest technology into the cockpits and C-MAP’s digital cartography and mapping technology for teams and race management.

“This is a fantastic day for racing fans across the world as the new RaceBird is unveiled, and we look forward to seeing the technologies Simrad and C-MAP will integrate into this new electric powerboat racing championship in the near future,” added Frostad.
 
What is E1 Series:                                                   RaceBird tech specs:

– Up to 12 teams                                                         – 50 knots top speed (93 km/h)

– 10 global race locations                                           – 150 kW peak power output

– Knockout-style race format                                      – 35kWh battery from Kreisel

– Short races close to shore                                        – Hydrofoil technology