This Electric Lake Rocket Is What Four Hundred Thousand Dollars Buys You These Days
Image Credit: ENVGO.
A four-hundred-thousand-dollar electric speedboat? You could probably buy a small island for that kind of dosh. But… Who needs land when you can skim across the water like some sort of futuristic waterborne insect?
This "beautiful curves and sleek lines" contraption is apparently the bee's knees if you fancy leaving your sports car gathering dust in the garage of your family's vacation home. Because, naturally, if you're dropping four hundred grand on a boat, you've got the kind of real estate where a lake is practically a birthright.
Image Credit: ENVGO.
The NV1 is one of those clever hydrofoil types. For those of you who skipped physics class to perfect the art of looking bored, a hydrofoil is basically an underwater wing. As this aquatic beast picks up speed, the wings generate lift, hoisting the entire hull out of the water. The result? Less drag and a ride smoother than a freshly Zambonied ice rink, even when the water gets a bit choppy.
And the smartest bit is pairing this hydrofoil wizardry with an electric motor. Electric boats sometimes struggle with range, but by lifting the boat out of the water, it becomes far more efficient, meaning you can actually go somewhere before the electrons run out of enthusiasm. The NV1 has a dual-motor setup with a peak of 330 horsepower, with a more sensible continuous output of 170 horsepower. This, according to the folks at ENVGO, is enough to propel you across the lake at 50 miles per hour. Trust me, that's enough to make your water skiers feel like they're auditioning for a James Bond chase scene.
Image Credit: ENVGO.
Powering this aquatic escapade is an 80-kWh battery pack. In land-lubber terms, that sounds reasonably hefty, but ENVGO claims this will give you a range of around 74 miles. That should be plenty to annoy the local ducks and maybe even pop over to your neighbor's ridiculously oversized lakeside mansion for afternoon tea, provided they don't mind the silent, futuristic invasion. And when you finally run out of electron juice, the built-in DC fast charging will take care of the top-up business. No, you won't be stuck paddling back to shore with your tail between your legs.
The NV1 stretches out to a not-so-modest 24 and a half feet. That's quite a bit longer than your average SUV, and just as thirsty for attention. The hull is crafted from carbon fiber, which sounds terribly expensive but makes it super light and strong. It can also accommodate six of your closest, presumably equally wealthy, friends.
Image Credit: ENVGO.
This floating palace comes equipped with a water-skiing pylon. I can only imagine the physics-defying feats of aerial water skiing. Inside, you'll find touchscreen controls - apparently, even on a boat, you can't escape the tyranny of the touchscreen. Thankfully, the 360-degree surround view system should help with safe docking. The autonomous navigation and collision avoidance means, theoretically, you could fall asleep at the helm, and your forty-hundred-thousand-dollar toy will steer itself away from any errant paddle boats or overly enthusiastic swans. Marvellous.
ENVGO announced this hydrofoil last August, but this week, they've been gallivanting around Toronto Harbor, filming what I can only assume is incredibly dramatic promotional footage. You can even catch glimpses of it "foiling" on some lake back in March. And for those of you who like to see your ridiculously expensive watercraft in the flesh before plonking down the equivalent of a mortgage on it, they'll be showing it off at a public event in Bracebridge, Ontario, at the end of May.
Image Credit: ENVGO.
The ENVGO NV1 is a silent, sleek, and undeniably rapid way to traverse your local body of water, provided your bank account resembles the national debt of a small country. Will it revolutionize lakeside leisure? Will it usher in an era of electric hydrofoil dominance? I sure hope so. It'll turn quite a few heads, and empty a few wallets in the process. I'll be watching from the shore, with a slightly less extravagant sandwich in hand, to see how this whole electric boating revolution unfolds.
