Just like a car, a boat is often powered by an engine, but just like with EVs, companies have built electric boats too. These electric boats can be very fast, and unsurprisingly, there are people and companies that seek to break speed records with their electric boats. Here’s a look at the impressive electric boat that recently set a new speed record. 

A look at Vision Marine Technologies’ recent attempts to break the electric boat speed record

Boating Magazine wrote about Vision Marine Technologies’ pursuit of breaking the electric boat speed record, and this isn’t a new pursuit for the Canadian company. Vision Marine Technologies specializes in building electric motors and boats, and a few years back, the company debuted the most powerful electric outboard motor in the world, the E-motion 180E. 

Like the name implies, it’s an electric outboard motor that generates 180 hp. It also produces 288 lb-ft of torque, and just like with electric cars, the 180E is cleaner and quieter than a traditional outboard motor. With this electric motor in tow, Vision Marine Technologies teamed up with Hellkats Powerboats to break speed records, and the company did that in 2022. 

For the company’s most recent attempts, the boat itself was a catamaran built by S2 Power Boats, and it was equipped with electric outboard motors that were similar to the 180E. These motors have the same tech and architecture as the 180E, but they were souped up and generate more power. It’s not entirely clear how much horsepower and torque those upgraded motors generate, but they did their job.

Vision Marine Technologies broke the speed record and then broke it again

Just like with the company’s speed record attempt in 2022, the most recent one happened at the Lake of Ozarks Shootout, which is a popular speed-run event that’s actually unsanctioned and, like the name implies, takes place in the Ozarks in Missouri. The course was one kilometer long, and the boat was piloted by a professional boat racer, Shaun Torrente. He was the same guy who broke the electric boat speed record in 2022.

That record was set by Vision Marine Technologies, and Torrente was able to hit 109 mph with his electric boat. Torrente and Vision Marine Technologies’ most recent attempt at the speed record happened in late August 2023. Since the boat’s power was increased, and since nothing else really changed, it’s not surprising that Torrente was able to break the electric speed record not once, but twice.

On his first run, he was able to hit 111 mph, according to Marine Industry News. That was good enough to break the record. He wasn’t satisfied though, and on his second run, he hit 116 mph, which is 7 mph more than the record that he set in 2022.

Unless another company builds a more powerful electric outboard motor, Vision Marine Technologies and Torrente will likely hold on to the electric boat speed record until they break it again.

More interesting information about that impressive electric boat

Electric boat technology has been evolving fast. For context, the electric boat speed record back in 2008 was just under 99 mph. Nowadays, there are a lot of electric boats, and they’re far more powerful and practical than before. With that being said, the boat that Torrente used to break the speed record obviously is not a commercial boat that folks can buy off the shelf.

He used a racing catamaran that was 32-feet long, and it was modified with racing in mind. For example, it had gearcases from Mercury, and they were customized by a different company. And since it’s a racing catamaran, it has a cockpit, and Torrente wore a helmet.