The Electric Ribcraft Pro 480
I am absolutely in favor of innovation, but I remain far from convinced about using electric outboard motors.
The engineers have without any doubt my admiration and respect.
But at this stage, I see more drawbacks than advantages.
I have written an article discussing this topic in detail: Why an Electric Outboard Is Not the Better Choice Now.
This electric Ribcraft is fitted with the full RAD system. It features a console-integrated battery. The RAD 40 has 180° electric steering which is admirable.
Acceleration is immediate (as is with some EVs). Top speeds exceed 30 knots, though sustained performance depends on load, sea state, and throttle management of course.
And then there’s the claimed range of a full nine hours. It almost seems too good to be true.
I always wonder how this figure is calculated. Could it be also overestimated, similar to what we often see with electric cars?
Let’s see how the market reacts.
If anyone at Ribcraft or RAD reads my blogpost, I’m more than happy to spend 9 hours at sea with this combination.
As long as there is a RIB with a combustion engine nearby.
This video was published on the RAD Propulsion YouTube channel.
Want to see more Ribcraft videos, here they are. Also interested in RAD propulsion, get some info here
