RS Electric Boats collaboration with Cheetah Marine brings together two well-established British companies with a wealth of boat-building and design expertise. This strong partnership aims to accelerate the evolution of dependable electric boats for commercial and leisure use.
By combining Cheetah Marine’s deep-rooted understanding of workboat requirements such as stability, spacious working deck space, beaching, and rough sea handling, with RS Electric Boats’ knowledge of lightweight materials, efficient hull form and electric specific boat design, the partnership will expedite a proliferation of commercial electric vessels on the market over the next few years.
“Cheetah Marine has created a brilliant community and an outstanding range of boats over the last 30 years. RS Electric Boats is very excited about working with the team to develop the next generation of zero-emission boats and making real change in our industry.”
Jon Partridge, CEO – RS Commercial
EV-Ready Workboats
Through hands-on operational experience and knowledge, we understand that the transition from conventional fuelled marine propulsion to clean electric/hydrogen power is a big step, both financially and logistically. Plus, current electric/hydrogen propulsion technology can’t yet provide some customers with the required operational performance to fulfil their commercial tasking; long range at high speed, for example.
To address this, we’ve developed a hull that can be converted from a conventional fossil-fuel boat to an electric one with relative ease. The weight of a traditional Cheetah Catamaran, which boasts excellent stability and rough weather capabilities, has been reduced by 30% without compromising strength and integrity. The design also features module fuel tanks that can be replaced with batteries and a steering system that is compatible with conventional and electric propulsion engines.
This innovative approach enables organisations to plan for zero emission operations in the future without compromising on performance now.
The Cheetah Marine Story
Cheetah Marine’s founder, Sean Strevens (FRINA), designed, built and launched the first Cheetah catamaran in 1990. A commercial fisherman, Strevens wanted a vessel that could better handle rough seas and beach safely in the surf. Since then, the Isle of Wight-based family business has developed and built over 600 incredibly stable and capable catamarans. A loyal following of Cheetah Marine enthusiasts include commercial seamen, fishermen, divers, patrol personnel, hydrographic surveyors, and expedition skippers, to name a few. These versatile and sturdy vessels are also popular amongst leisure dayboat users.
Despite its humble beginnings, Cheetah Marine has always been dedicated to innovation and has begun to develop zero-emissions catamarans in recent years, including the world’s first boat to be run on an Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (HICE). This development will be bolstered further by the partnership with RS Electric Boats.
“Here at Cheetah Marine we have a passion for hull efficiency and future zero emission propulsion. combining this with the knowledge and ability of RS Electric Boats will help us develop planet-saving technology for the marine environment.”
Sean Strevens (FRINA), Founder, Cheetah Marine
Synergy With RS Electric Boats
The story behind RS Electric Boats follows a similar narrative to Cheetah Marine. Our parent brand, RS Sailing, flourished from an idea between friends to drive dinghy sailing forward using progressive boat design and innovative technology. Fast forward 25 years, RS Sailing is internationally renowned for producing fun, durable and award-winning sailing dinghies, with an active community of dedicated RS fans.
“Our experienced design team is dedicated to developing new and innovative electric boats that help people and businesses get out on the water in an enjoyable, productive and sustainable way.”
Alex Newton-Southon, CEO – RS Design & Technologies
RS Electric Boats was born from our desire to reduce harmful emissions from regatta chase boats. Following the successful launch of the Pulse 63 – the world’s first RIB with a fully integrated electric drive – our design team is using expert knowledge of lightweight construction and electric-specific hull form to develop the next generation of electric-powered boats. The partnership with Cheetah Marine will aid the advancement and expansion of our commercial electric workboats range.
