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| Arc wants to build a new concept of electric boats |
California startup Arc wants to build an electric boat, starting with a 24-foot limited-edition watersports boat priced at around $300,000.
Arc plans to cut prices after these vessels are produced and sold, just as Tesla did with its electric Roadster, followed by the Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y.
Electric boats have far fewer moving parts, which means they require less maintenance, which is one of the biggest problems for ship owners.
In addition, electricity can be much cheaper than fuel prices. Plus, slow loading the boat makes more sense than driving.
While Arc's first ship may not be able to keep up with the fuel vessel, that is the goal and the company's CEO believes it will be easy to reach.
The Arc One's limited sale of $300,000 will help fund the research and development needed to create an affordable electric boat that can sell for thousands of dollars instead of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The vessel has a 200 kW, 800 volt battery, nearly twice the capacity and voltage of Tesla's overhead current kit, and a 475 hp electric motor.
It has a top speed of about 40 mph and takes about 4 hours in total, which should cover an entire day of boating.
New concept of electric boat
The boat is designed to be suitable for sports such as water skiing. This is rare in the emerging electric boat market. This is because it takes a lot of energy to move through the water.
As you move through the water, the resistance to the force is the square of your velocity. If you want a 40 mile boat. You need a battery big enough to solve this problem.
The company makes aluminum frames as part of the design. This is against tradition because most structures in this category are made of carbon fiber or other types of composite materials.
The company said aluminum is less labor-intensive and cheaper. At the same time, it is light enough to distribute most of the weight on the battery.
Although the battery is great. However, it is placed at the bottom of the ship and integrated into the hull of the ship.
The company strives to achieve a high level of vertical integration. In addition to the chassis, it has also developed its own accessories for batteries and a cooling system. It also develops software that it wants to change and improve through live updates.