Riva’s first full-electric powerboat: El-Iseo
Riva has revealed more details of its 8.4-metre runabout El-Iseo, the brand’s first full-electric powerboat.
The Italian boatbuilder, a brand of Ferretti Group, unveiled the first El-Iseo prototype in late 2022 at the Monaco Yacht Club. The prototype has since undergone various tests, including participation in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge with the YCM E-Dock and the YCM E-Boat Rally, the nautical endurance event reserved for electric models.
The new Riva El-Iseo was penned by Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta, founders of Officina Italiana Design, working in partnership with the Strategic Product Committee led by Piero Ferrari and the Ferretti Group Engineering Department.
“Riva’s great strength, right from the outset, has been its ability to rise to and win the design challenges faced over the years, by combining its craftsmanship and know-how with new technologies,” says Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi. “Riva El-Iseo isn’t only the world’s most beautiful full-electric powerboat, but also proof that investing in research and development opens up new paths to sustainability and environmental awareness.”
He adds: “Riva El-Iseo is also the first model in its segment to obtain Rina Category B certification, a further endorsement that Riva is at the forefront of yachting safety too.”
The 8.4-metre Riva El-Iseo has a maximum beam of 2.5 metres and a sleek hull design inherited from the Iseo model. On board, Riva’s stylistic details extend to the polished mahogany of the deck and stern platform, the stainless steel detailing of the lateral grills and the refined sky fabric cushions.
The deck, cockpit and helm station feature a completely new design, while the colour of the first hull is a novel one for Riva, a California Sky Blue that marries with the aquamarine “beauty line” featured on all boats in the Riva range.
Riva says the El-Iseo is the first full electric powerboat to obtain RINA B Category certification (boats designed for wind force up to and including 8 and significant wave height of 4 metres and above), which is rarely granted to open type boats on account of both their size and configuration.
Riva El-Iseo retains the traditional stern-drive propulsion system and has a Parker GVM310 full-electric engine from Parker Hannifin, a motion and control technology multinational based in the US. With a power output of 250 kW, peaking at 300 kW, the Parker GVM310 is said to deliver a cruising speed of 25 knots and a self-limited top speed of 40 knots. Riva says the vessel’s acceleration curve is significantly steeper than that of a similarly sized boat powered by an internal combustion engine.
For stabilisation underway, El-Iseo has autotrim control for the stern-drive engine and a Zipwake interceptor for trim correction.
The El-Iseo is fitted with a lithium battery pack by Podium Advanced Technologies. Riva El-Iseo’s 150 kWh, 800 V batteries have two charging modes, normal and fast, for charging from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in 75 minutes. The charging ports are located under the steel grille on the port side. The battery pack has a “Redundant Design Configuration”, with two independent blocks to ensure that the failure of one of the two blocks doesn’t put the operation of the entire pack at risk.
Riva says it focused on safety when implementing the battery packs. The batteries are sealed and liquid-cooled, the most efficient system for rapid heat transfer. They are also located at the forward end of the engine room under the bimini-top compartment between the dinette and the stern sunpad, ensuring easy access and inspection. Finally, the batteries have extra thermal insulation in the form of fire-resistant cladding inside the GRP panel that provides access to the compartment. A gas sensor is also installed to detect leaks.
The fully digital dashboard has two touch screen displays from which all cruising and on-board system information can be controlled: a 9 or 12-inch Simrad chartplotter and a Böning 12-inch screen that indicate all battery state and cruising mode information. The design of the steering system and its integration with the on-board systems are the work of Xenta.
Riva El-Iseo has three cruising modes. Adagio is the Eceo mode, designed to optimise cruising performance, with a maximum speed of 5 knots and limited acceleration, reducing fuel consumption and maximising range to up to 10 hours of cruising. In Andante mode, the boat reaches a maximum planing speed of 25 knots. Allegro is the sport mode, in which the engine is unlimited and El-Iseo can reach a top speed of 40 knots.
To maintain battery life, when the residual charge drops to 20 per cent (a range of about 10 nautical miles), the boat automatically switches to Adagio regardless of the cruising mode selected.
Riva says the El-Iseo is making a name for itself in the burgeoning “e-luxury segment”, which is defined not only by the type of propulsion but also by the materials used and the production processes.
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