Plugboats: X-Yachts Adds Electric Option

SinC X Yachts 49E Profile

July 13, 2022

X-Yachts of Denmark is the latest shipyard to offer electric propulsion on its sailing yachts with the introduction of the X4⁹E, an adapted version of their existing X4⁹ model.

X-Yachts joins builders like Arcona, Beneteau, Excess Catamarans, Elan, Salona, Fantail, Viator and others who either have electric propulsion as standard or now make it available as an option on some models.

“We didn’t want to be first movers on this area, but preferred to wait until technology and knowledge had matured properly”, says Kræn Nielsen, CEO of X-Yachts. “And I’m really happy to say that the time finally is right to present the first X-Yacht with electric propulsion.”

X-Yachts was founded in 1979 to design and build yachts for world class international offshore (IOR) racing. Success in that arena attracted the attention of the cruising market, where sailors were looking for some speed to go along with their cruising comfort.

SinC X Yachts 49E 400In the past four decades the company has built nearly 60 designs, winning dozens of awards, and races along the way. It how has a range of nine performance cruisers.

“Finding the right project for our first boat with electric propulsion was crucial,” says X-Yachts Technical Manager John Morsing. “We worked in close cooperation with the owner of build number one, who knows our boats well and has a strong passion for green, silent boating.”

The client’s plans are “primarily to use it for long-distance cruising, but it has also been specified with performance sailing in mind and I intend to participate in challenges like Around Denmark Race and eventually, also the ARC Cross Atlantic.”

The propulsion system in the new X4⁹E is delivered by Finnish Oceanvolt, one of the world leaders in electric propulsion systems for yachts and a pioneer in regenerative systems, where the battery can be recharged when the boat is sailing under wind power.

SinC X Yachts 49E Sailing 400“The boat is fairly big, 49 feet and weighs 12 tons” Morsing says, “so we have installed two Oceanvolt ServoProp SD10 engine pods, each 10 kW.” The twin motor solution serves two purposes: more power and higher safety through redundancy. Together they have the same torque as a 60hp diesel engine and in terms of top speed are equal to 30-40hp.

The Oceanvolt system runs on 48V, with the motors mounted on each side of the traditional engine compartment, below the aft cabin bunks. The former engine compartment has become a dedicated technical space, housing the battery bank, charger/inverter, BMS (Battery Management System) and controllers.

The LiFePo4 battery bank (Lithium Iron Phosphate, also known as LFP) has a capacity of 28,8 kWh. Range with pure electric power depends a lot on boat speed, wind and sea state, but Oceanvolt’s conservative estimate in calm conditions is 22,7 nautical miles at 5 knots.

SinC X Yachts 49E Oceanvolt 400The regeneration capabilities are a major benefit of the Oceanvolt system. The X4⁹E can produce up to 3,5 kW under sail (when sailing + 8 knots). This means that sailing for about eight hours will charge the batteries from empty to full.

While the regenerative system is ideally suited to most sailing uses, the X4⁹E can also be ordered with an 11 kW Fischer Panda diesel generator capable of running the boat for as long as there is diesel on board. The X-Yachts website has an outline of different use cases outlining range and speed with different combinations of battery and diesel.

While there are still significant challenges in using electric propulsion for large planing boats, many sailing boats requiring mechanical power only occasionally are perfect candidates for an electric or hybrid system.

Most companies now offering the electric options say there is great interest from clients. In fact, Fantail reports that the great majority of Tartan Fantail buyers specify their new electric drive package. As oil prices go up and battery prices go down, expect more companies to provide electric motors as an option, and perhaps even the standard.

 

SinC Jeff Butler 400Jeff Butler is based in Toronto and is the Editor/Publisher of plugboats.com, the international website covering everything electric boats and boating. He is also President of the Electric Boat Association of Canada and is busy preparing to bring electric motor boat racing and exhibitions to Toronto Harbour in 2023 for the first Toronto Solar Boat Races.

 

 

 

 

 

Related Articles

  • Undertakings: Thunder Bay’s Dan Turk Around the Globe on Home Built 5.8M

    Undertakings: Thunder Bay’s Dan Turk Around the Globe on Home Built 5.8M

    Oct 10, 2024 On the continuum of adventurous sailing journeys, the Mini Globe Race 2025 sits right at the end – either craziest or bravest, take your pick. On February 23, 2025, the McIntyre Mini Globe Race (MGR) will commence, marking the beginning of a 13-month sailing adventure that challenges both the physical and psychological endurance of its… Read More…

  • Mandate Wins J105 NAs

    Mandate Wins J105 NAs

    Oct 10, 2024 Seven Canadian boats headed to Cleveland for the 2024 J105 NAs September 24-29.  Consistency proved to be the highlight, as now four-time winner Terry McLaughlin and Rod Wilmer’s Mandate came out on top at the J/105 North American Championship in Cleveland, OH. Fraser Howell, Ian Howes, Andrew Kenny and John Millen from… Read More…