Mercury Racing + Simrad Announce E1 RaceBird Electric Powerboat
By Jonathan Matthews on
As much as we never thought something like this would happen, it has. Mercury Racing & Simrad announced this week that they will be involved with development in the world's first electric powerboat racing series.
E1 Series is proud to unveil the first full-size model of the electric RaceBird powerboat that the pilots will race with in the world’s first electric powerboat championship.
What is the E1 Series?
- Sanctioned by Union Internationale Motonautique
- 12+ teams
- 10 global race locations
- Knockout style race format
- Short track racing, close to shore (maybe for long extension cords? lol)
RaceBird Boat Specifications:
- 50MPH+ top speed by Mercury Racing
- 150kW peak power output by Mercury Racing
- 35kWh battery from Kreisel
- Hydrofoil technology by Victory Team
Stuart Halley, General Manager Mercury Racing, said: “Mercury Racing is excited to take part in this challenge, and looks forward to joining the E1 Series, SeaBird Technologies, and Victory Marine in the development of high-performance electric powertrain components. Sustainable technology is already playing an important role in the future of marine motorsports, and we could not be prouder of our partnership with these organisations and the products that will come as a result of our combined efforts.”
Simrad and Navico brands also will contribute to the development of all mapping and vessel electronics as technical partners. This will work well, as the Mercury VesselView network is native to these units. Drivers will also access to Navico's C-MAP for digital cartography and mapping technology for teams and race management.
Knut Frostad, CEO of Navico, said: “This is an exciting day for racing fans and boaters across the world to see the unveiling of the electric RaceBird powerboat that will help lead the way towards further development and technologies accelerating the electrification journey in the boating industry. We believe the E1 Series is a perfect platform to raise the bar around innovation and public interest in marine conservation and sustainability. At Navico, we’re pleased to have the Simrad and C-MAP brands be part of this process as E1 Series partners.”
This commitment to the future outlines the direction of not only the motorsports on the water, but the future of motorsports in general. Mercury is not alone in this realm, with automotive manufactures making the push towards "performance" electric vehicles.
The future of motorsports in general?
The future of electric in high performance motorsports is bright, as even consumer electric vehicles begin to take over long time records. Volkswagen in particular has been pushing hard into this realm with the introduction of the Volkswagen IDR: