South African electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Thula Solutions has developed an electric powertrain specifically designed for boats, ideal for quieter river cruise safaris. This follows their successful creation of the Electric Safari Vehicle (ESV) for silent game drives.
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The ESV is currently accepting reservations and is expected to enter production in the fourth quarter of 2024. Thula Solutions founder and CEO Gary Davies envisions South Africa’s premier game lodges and self-driving tourists adopting electric vehicles for wildlife viewing within the next two to four years.
Thula Solutions general manager Guy Tatham, a boating enthusiast, saw an opportunity to apply their EV powertrain technology to boats when approached by Chobe Game Lodge in Botswana. Through a partnership with ePropulsion, a provider of electric motors for boats, they developed a compelling solution.
The company is targeting the ecotourism market, emphasizing the environmental benefits and enhanced experience offered by electric powertrains. These boats can be used in various water bodies, including the Okavango Delta and Zambezi River.
Electric powertrains offer several advantages over traditional fuel-powered engines. Firstly, they can be charged sustainably using solar power, eliminating the need for fuel transportation and associated costs. Thula Solutions’ boats can operate independently with solar panels, achieving effectively unlimited range.
Secondly, electric motors produce minimal noise, providing a much quieter safari experience. This allows guests to hear natural sounds like elephants communicating and birds chirping.
Thirdly, electric motors have zero emissions or pollutants, unlike fuel-based boat motors. Fuel-based motors discharge unburnt fuel and oil into the water, harming fauna and flora.
Electric boats also have lower operating costs due to their simpler motors and reduced maintenance requirements.
The powertrain’s electric motors operate quietly at cruising speeds. While the initial development of the software and componentry took time, Thula Solutions can now complete an installation in one to two days, depending on necessary modifications to the boat.
Weight distribution is crucial due to the significant weight of the battery packs. Thula Solutions is working with boat manufacturers to design hulls that accommodate the battery housing and related components.
The company offers two battery pack configurations: a single 28kWh pack and a dual 20kWh configuration providing 40kWh capacity. ePropulsion’s X20 and X40 motors provide 20kW or 40kW of peak output.
The larger X40 motor can achieve speeds of 40km/h on aluminium boats but is limited to around 13km/h on larger, dual-pontoon boats due to bow wave resistance. The motors typically consume between 1km and 2.5km per kWh of battery capacity.
At typical safari cruising speeds of 5-10km/h, a 10km boat trip consumes only about 10% of the 40kWh battery pack, allowing for approximately 100km of cruising on a single charge without solar power. At top speeds of 40km/h, the 28kWh battery can cover around 28km.
Charging infrastructure needs to be considered for boats without rooftop solar generation. AC chargers with outputs up to 3.3kW for single-phase power and 10kW for triple-phase supplies can be used to recharge the battery packs.
