Built on Ribcraft’s Deep-V Hull®, the PRO 480 Electric strengthens the company’s next-generation RHIB
Ribcraft, a leader in professional and military-grade RHIBs with over 30 years of British naval design heritage, has unveiled the PRO 480 Electric, a UK-built demonstrator powered by the RAD Propulsion’s 40 kW electric outboard.
The PRO 480 strengthens Ribcraft’s next-generation electric RHIB portfolio for professional, commercial, and government operators, combining mission-ready performance with advanced sustainability. Built on Ribcraft’s trademarked Deep-V Hull®, the vessel delivers exceptional handling, reduced noise, and lower lifecycle costs, making it ideal for defence, search-and-rescue, and governmental operations.
Ribcraft PRO 480 has long served as a benchmark in compact professional RHIB capability, agile, resilient, configurable, and repeatedly proven across defence, SAR, and high-demand commercial operations. Its trademarked Ribcraft Deep-V Hull®, heavy-duty Hypalon® tubes, robust composite structure, and mission-specific bespoke architecture deliver a platform engineered for operational endurance, flexibility, and reliable performance in the harshest maritime environments.
This new electric configuration preserves all operational flexibility, while opening the door to cleaner and quieter missions previously inaccessible to combustion platforms.
Preliminary performance trials were conducted on the Ribcraft PRO 480 equipped with the RAD 40, a RAD 21 kWh battery, with two personnel onboard.
Key Takeaways from the Data:
- Speed range: Proven operational performance from 4–30 kts.
- Endurance band: Optimal efficiency achieved at 12–16 kts, consuming only 1.83–1.53 kWh per nm, ideal for sustained coastal security and patrol operations.
- Low-signature patrol: At 4–6 kts, consumption remains low at 0.63–1.27 kWh per nm, supporting covert movements, harbour security tasks, and precise station-keeping.
- High-speed response: At 18–22 kts, the system draws 27.9–37.3 kW, providing rapid-response capability for SAR, interdiction, and fast transit missions.
- Top-end capability: Maximum tested speeds of 24–30 kts delivered 38.5–45.6 kW, validating the RHIB’s ability to execute rapid deployments.
Ribcraft’s expanding electric RHIB range delivers a decisive step forward in sustainable maritime capability, aligning government, defence, and commercial operators with global decarbonisation goals while strengthening sovereign industrial capacity. This reduces through-life burden and elevates operational performance without compromise.
“Electrification represents a strategic step in Ribcraft’s global capability roadmap, marking a pivotal advance in our expanding electric RHIB portfolio. The PRO 480 Electric demonstrates how cutting-edge clean propulsion can be integrated without compromising the rugged, operational performance professionals demand. It sets a new benchmark — quieter, cleaner, and more cost-efficient capability built on Ribcraft’s proven Deep-V Hull®.
With the first demonstrator now operational in the UK, customers can assess this next-generation capability firsthand, purpose-built for the demanding environments our vessels are engineered to master.” said Toby Adams, Ribcraft CEO.
“By integrating our high-efficiency electric drive systems directly into Ribcraft’s vessel, we have been able to unlock unrivalled levels of performance, reliability, and user experience. We are delighted to partner with Ribcraft and the RAD 40 makes the ideal partner to the PRO 480.” – Toby Biddlecombe, Sales Manager, RAD Propulsion.
