Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Auto
  3. News

The Q30 Is the Ultra-Minimalist Electric Yacht You’ll Never Hear Coming

By
Q Yachts – Q30 Electric Motorboat Introduction

The days of fossil fuel-powered craft are numbered. Cars are going all-electric. Flying cars — if, nay, when they happen — are likely to be all-electric. Even electric planes are on the horizon. Now, one forward-thinking Finnish boat-maker is taking to the water with a stunning new all-electric boat.

Recommended Videos

The Q30 Yacht is a study in stark, minimalist design that’s thoroughly Scandinavian. The smooth, bone-white hull cuts a sharp line through the water like an icy shard pushed by an unseen current. Even much of the deck is laminated with a glistening white gel coat. Save for the wooden decking ’round back, it’s hardly recognizable as a boat from the air.

As a day boat, the Q30 Yacht offers enough room for eight, including a four-seat table and a sunbathing platform for two. For overnights, there’s a bright white interior awash in natural light thanks to an overhead skylight. Low-voltage LED lighting illuminates the cabin after dark. Here, guests will find just enough room to bed down, plus other creature comforts like a small sink and a Beoplay A1 wireless Bluetooth speaker system. Topside, the navigation and lighting are all controlled by a single iPad. The entire package weighs over 3,000 pounds, but it’s easily tow-able with even a small crossover or SUV like, say, your all-electric Tesla Model X.

1 of 5
q30 yacht electric mist 1440 edited
Image used with permission by copyright holder
q30 yacht electric bow 1440 edited
Image used with permission by copyright holder
q30 yacht electric top 1440 edited
Image used with permission by copyright holder
q30 yacht electric console 1440 edited
Image used with permission by copyright holder
q30 yacht electric cabin 2160 edited
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Janne Kjellman, the pioneering owner of Q Yachts, set out more than a decade ago to devise a silent marine propulsion system. After countless prototypes, he arrived at Oceanvolt, a revolutionary all-electric technology. It had already been in use as an alternative power source for sailboats, but Q Yachts adapted the technology for its luxury motor craft. The result is an all-electric boat that’s almost completely silent with zero emissions.

By the numbers, the Q30 is impressive, especially considering the limited range of most electric craft. An AXC20 electric motor propels the “yacht” (the Finnish evidently use that term loosely) to a top speed of 15 knots with a cruising speed of around nine. The optional 60kWh extended battery pack can keep the 30-foot vessel cruising for up to 80 nautical miles. The hull is constructed of lightweight fiberglass with an ultra-hydrodynamic form that minimizes drag. It won’t take you on a trans-Atlantic sailing trip, but it’s got plenty of juice for tooling around the lake near your Arctic Circle fishing cabin.

Pricing for the Q30 is still to be determined. But, frankly, if you have to ask …

Mike Richard
Mike Richard
Contributor
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio
Auto
Porsche just proved the Cayenne Electric is the most impressive performance vehicle you can drive
Car, Transportation, Vehicle

I have seen the movies. I know there is no way that a car can survive in the jet blast of a plane. I remember the scene from Casino Royale. And for me, that is science. But the engineers at Porsche and Stratolaunch aren’t so sure. They operate in the real world of science, and they came together to see if the Porsche Cayenne Electric could withstand the take-off power of one of the largest and most powerful aircraft in the world. Why? Because they can and because curiosity oftentimes leads to something awesome. Spoiler alert…the car holds up. But don’t take my word for it.

The car is its own beast. It’s got the ability to keep up and play in this space. – Orlando Bloom, Porsche ambassador

Read more
Auto
Indian commits to American artistry with Signature Series
Machine, Spoke, Helmet

There is something about sitting on the back of a motorcycle that you can’t feel anywhere else. Road trips feel different on the back of a bike versus in a car. Maybe it is the solo aspect of it. Maybe there is the feeling of the wind. Who knows? What I do know is that there is nothing like a bike ride through the countryside. The winding roads, the sunsets through the visor of the helmet, all of it is unrivaled. Indian Motorcycle understands this, and they have since they became the first American motorcycle company. Now, they have dropped a new Signature Series of four motorcycles echoing their commitment to American artistry and craftsmanship.

Since 1901, Indian Motorcycle has pursued the ultimate intersection of form and function – motorcycles that are as beautiful in design as they are sophisticated in performance – Mike Kennedy, CEO of Indian Motorcycle

Read more
Auto
Is the BMW XM a perfect blend of practicality and performance
Car, Transportation, Vehicle

The BMW XM has received a bit of a mixed response, but there’s a strong argument that it’s a logical next step on from the BMW M5. Think about it, the M5 is special because it combines practicality with exceptional performance. The BMW XM does the same thing, though you’re trading a little handling quality for far more practicality.

On a recent venture in BMW’s performance SUV, I weighed up the pros and cons of BMW’s most divisive vehicle. And it may be a better choice than BMW’s flagship.

Read more