Can a Boat Be an EV? Behind Cannes Yachting Festival's Fast-Charging Demonstration

For several years now, environmentalists and eco-conscious drivers alike have been making the much-needed shift to electric vehicles. Not only does the excavation process for non-renewable oil have an incredibly high environmental impact, but burning non-renewables also emits a ton of greenhouse gases. But cars aren't the only mode of transportation out there, and traveling by boat is notoriously better for the environment. This begs the question: do electric boats exist? And if so, what is the EV boat market like?

A current demonstration at Cannes Yachting Festival is showing that keeping things sustainable in the water is just as easy as it is on land, with highly accessible fast-charging stations. Keep reading for more on Aqua's next-level innovation that could inspire those who have the means to invest in an EV boat to actually do so — their work has been seriously remarkable.

Just like electric cars and EV planes, there are, in fact, electric boats — in case you don't recall, Greta Thunberg embarked on a carbon-neutral journey from Europe to the U.S. by electric yacht, to avoid air travel emissions only two years ago! And now, EV boats are being heavily promoted at Cannes Yachting Festival. The elite nautical gathering has a dedicated Electric Boat Area this year, with Aqua superPower's first commercial dockside fast-charging network for hybrid and EV boats.

Through Sept. 12, Aqua's fast-charging stations in the Electric Boat Area are open to all electric boat operators for DC and AC fast-charging, according to a press release. The 75-kilowatt supercharger is made from 25 percent recycled aluminum, and it's accessible to boat operators through both RFID cards and the Aqua secure app. The app also maps out where other marine chargers are along your route, reducing range anxiety for EV boaters and making planning a trip easier than ever.

Both commercial and personal boats will be able to access Aqua network chargers for free, enticing more people to shy away from gas-guzzling boats, and make the much-needed switch to aquatic EVs.

Although electric boats haven't quite gained the momentum that electric cars have in recent years, it seems like the market is continuously growing as the world becomes more eco-conscious. According to Aqua, the EV boat market is expected to skyrocket, with a predicted 1 million electric boats in the water across the globe, by 2030. Driving an electric boat is also becoming more enticing to users who can afford to make the switch, as the market's worth is predicted to be at $20 billion by 2027.

Electric boat batteries are constantly being improved, and fast-charging networks like Aqua's are becoming increasingly more ubiquitous. With better quality boats on the market and increased convenience for charging, electric boats are expected to boom within the next few years. That said, we're really hoping this is ultimately the case, for the sake of our planet's non-renewable resources, oil-enriched land, air quality, and — of course — our beloved underwater ecosystems.