The electric tide turns

Being out on the water can be one of life’s greatest tranquil pleasures, but enjoying it in a way that’sactually tranquil is a rather mixed bag: motorboats are loud and polluting, especially if you want the full ocean-spray thrill of going fast, and sailing is kind of a hassle.

The solution? The electric vehicle revolution that’s changing the car makes even more sense on ocean than on land, according to Konrad Bergström, the founder of electric boat maker X Shore (xshore.com).

One huge aspect is the quietness – you can take a group of friends or family out on a motorboat, but when you’re moving at speed you have to yell at each other to hear anything. Even in an electric car you get a lot of wheel noise beyond 40mph or so.

“In the boat, you only hear the water against the hull,” says Konrad. “People will buy apps to hear that!”

There’s also a safety factor – in a combustion-engine car, you’re protected from fumes. Imagine putting your spouse and child in the boot next to the exhaust – you wouldn’t be keen on this as a plan, but it’s accepted