We’ve got electric cars but what about electric PWC? You may not have too much longer to wait! Today, we show you where the brand leaders are on their journey to electric!
We know that electric personal watercraft are being developed, and they will be a welcomed addition to the future of the sport. However, what we want to know is how soon we can expect to see them appearing on the market?
In a bid to answer that question, we have looked at some of the biggest names in the jet ski world and shared precisely where they currently are with developing their electric watercraft!
Not only will we share where they are but what their first models will look like and what we can expect them to do when they are in the water! Read on to find out more!
6. Taiga Motor’s Orca
Perhaps one of the most exciting prospects comes from Montreal based Taiga, a startup company that has previously created an electric snowmobile. The Orca is a pricey electric PWC that boasts a 65mph speed height with 180 horsepower at your disposal.
When it comes to battery life, you can expect it last two hours between charges so that you can get a good ride in before you need to plug in.
It’s simple to charge, and you can plug into a 240-volt outlet or opt for a fast DC charger, which will get you back up to 80% in twenty minutes.
The battery took Taiga plenty of time to design as they wanted to create something that would not fail when being bashed on choppy water but also one that doesn’t deteriorate over winter.
Taiga is so confident in the Orca that they offer a full 5-year warranty that will cover you up to 20,000 kilometers! If you opt to buy one of these machines, you will be able to customize the colors and finishes to suit your style.
While the main reason for wanting one of these is the fact that it is a battery-powered jet ski, you will also be impressed with the range of features it offers as well.
Taiga has packed in GPS maps, Bluetooth radios, and Wi-Fi as standard as well as water temperature sensors and a sonar unit. The digital display is also completely waterproof, so you can focus on enjoying both your time on the water and all the features in one go.
When it comes to safety, you can make use of the onboard cameras as well as being able to use your phone through an Orca app!
The app will enable you to get all your notifications and communications, but there will also be the option to get over the air updates too – keeping you safe and informed at all times!
When you consider that the average jet ski weighs in at around 750 pounds, you will be impressed when you find out that the Orca weighs in at 580 pounds.
This weight is made up of a 275-pound battery and the rest coming from a carbon fiber body and a full range of exciting features.
The truth is that a machine this advanced is going to cost some serious cash, and Taiga has two price brackets for you to pick from. If you want to get your hands on the limited and elite Founder’s Edition, then you will need to part with $28,000.
However, if you are looking for the Standard Orca, then you will pay $24,000. Buying one of these will make you one of 500 people that will enjoy the new technology that Taiga has developed.
If you can’t wait to get your hands on one of these machines, then you don’t have much longer to wait. Taiga will let you pre-order both editions now and say that they will begin fulfilling orders in the Summer, 2020.
5. Nikola’s Motor – The WAV
Perhaps the biggest competition to the Orca is the WAV, an electric jet ski made by Nikola. This company is mainly known for designing battery operated cargo trucks and hydrogen-fueled trucks.
The WAV is likely to be a fairly pricey machine and can already be reserved for purchase when it is eventually released.
The design of this craft has the future in mind and offers a 4K, 12-inch waterproof display as well as cruise control to take the strain and LED lights to help you maintain visibility to others on the water.
It has been built with a sports bike in mind so that you can push it to its limit and enjoy all the fun tricks that you have come to expect with PWCs.
The WAV also has been configured so that there is ample storage in the form of a bow to the stern store for all your belongings.
Nikola has shared that they want you to feel the rush you expect when riding at high speeds and claim that their motor will produce instant torque.
You will also be happy to know that all the electronics will be fully protected in a waterproof system that will withstand the test of high speeds and punishing use.
Price-wise, you can expect to pay a hefty sum to get hold of one of these machines, but Nikola has not yet shared the price to date.
However, it is likely to be expensive, and Nikola will defend this price because of the advanced tech and battery that comes as standard in these machines.
To help interested parties get hold on of one, Nikola is offering a $0 reservation fee so that you can put your name down for one now without having to spend any of your hard-earned cash, yet!
The WAV was initially expected to hit the market in early 2020, making it the first electric watercraft on the market.
However, it is still yet to be launched, and there is no official date on the slate at this time, meaning that you, like us, will need to keep waiting with bated breath.
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4. The Narke
It is understandable that electric waverunner manufacturers all want to be the first to release their PWC for sale. However, Narke claims that they have built the first electric jet ski in the world.
The company state that we can expect them to release these machines sometime in 2020. However, there is no confirmed release date for this machine, and it currently looks likely to be beaten to the stores by other manufacturers.
There is not much information available for this model, but we do know, from the released images, that this machine does not look like your typical jet ski and offers sharp lines and clean-cut design.
It is expected to reach a maximum speed of 55km/h. In addition to its sleek design, the Narke claims to have been built with sustainability in mind as well as being environmentally friendly.
The Narke is powered by a Li-ion battery that can be removed and charged when it has been spent. The good news about this is that it can be changed mid rid if you have a spare battery with you.
This means that you could extend your time out on the water by the number of spare batteries you want to carry with you on board.
We also know that it will have a digital display to help you keep in control of all the information you need when you are on the water. It also seems likely that there will be a Bluetooth connection for your phone.
The Hungarian company also claims that this will be a quiet craft. They want it to signal the change from noisy traditional PWC to a new, quieter era that allows you to enjoy the water in the most sophisticated way possible.
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3. The Electric SeaDoo
BRP is the company behind the SeaDoo, and they have come under increasing pressure to produce and electric SeaDoo for consumers.
They clearly take this seriously as they recently showcased an electric SeaDoo at their annual conference, along with a whole range of potential electric recreation vehicles for consumers to take a look at.
However, this prototype is not far down the tube yet, and there is very little known about what to expect from this up and coming machine.
When they unveiled the electric SeaDoo, BRP clearly stated that they do not have a firm timeline in mind and are keen to find out what consumers want from any potential machine.
The good news is that if a company as large as BRP is willing to fund a new electric version of their iconic PWCs, then it is likely to give the broader market a shove in the right direction.
However, the difficulty for any company is balancing innovation with cash flow, and if it seems unlikely to make them the money they want, then we can probably expect to wait a while longer for the electric waverunner we want to see from BRP.
We can’t wait to see what is announced and don’t expect it to take long for the company to share details of their plans.
2. Electric Yamaha Waverunner
If you are a Yamaha fan, then the reality is that they have no electric watercraft in development at this time and so you may need to look elsewhere to get hold of one sooner.
However, it is not all bad news! Yamaha has recently been working on other electrically powered items, including scooters, and has even agreed to work as part of a consortium in creating an electric motorbike.
The other partners in this consortium include Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki, and their remit is to work as one to create a standardized battery for electric motorbikes.
Interestingly, electric scooter batteries are remarkably close to what will be needed for a jet ski, and their investment into Gogoro means that they have full access to the scooter company’s battery innovation.
Armed with this information, we are pretty confident that an announcement about an electric watercraft cannot be far behind with their status as a cornerstone of PWCs pushing them forward.
1. Kawasaki Electric Jet Ski
At this point, there has been no announcement from Kawasaki about a new electric model being released.
However, we can’t believe that one isn’t close as they have started making the moves to develop electric battery tech that may be used to create an electric PWC in the future.
Like Yamaha, Kawasaki is one-quarter of the Japanese powerhouse that has committed to creating a standardized, replaceable electric battery for electric motorbikes. We say, watch this space!
Conclusion
If you are keen to get your hands on an electric personal watercraft, then the wait is nearly over as long as you have the cash needed to pay for the privilege! However, in reality, it’s not as simple as it sounds.
We have one company on target to release this year (Taiga) with others swarming but without definitive dates.
While the demand for electric vehicles is growing, the PWC market is not as far along as electric cars, and it will be some time before we can expect to walk into a store and buy from a range of models.
The proof will come from the successes of Taiga and other startups to see if the market buys into electric PWCs or if they want to stick to the more traditional jet skis.
This answer will be the difference between mass adoption and a complete flop. The signs are promising so far, with a considerable level of interest being shown in these new crafts.
The main concerns seem to come from whether the new batteries will be able to provide the speed and power that people have become used to, along with the freedom to stay on the water for as long as you want.
The customer base wants assurances that there are going to be options available that mean they can spend the day on the water without fiddly and difficult charging requirements.
While it is sensible to err on the side of caution, we are quietly confident that the uptake of electric waverunners will signal the start of a revolution in jet skis!
Expect to see more companies jump on the bandwagon and release new models until we hit the point where electricity sends traditional watercraft packing for good!
