Norway’s battery industry electrifies world’s fastest, cleanest, quietest boats

“Norway is leading the world in the electrification of small and medium-sized vessels,” says Nora Rosenberg Grobæk, Head of Batteries at Invest in Norway, the official investment promotion agency of Norway - Innovation Norway

Photo Credit - Solstad Offshore ASA

As the world champion of EV car adoption, Norway has quickly transferred its success to the water, becoming a global leader in electric water transport and electric leisure boats. Not only are the electric boats eco-friendly; they are highly efficient and oh-so smart.

The future of leisure boats is electric

Today, only a small proportion of leisure boats worldwide are electric, but this is changing rapidly as battery technology improves and costs decrease. Norwegians, who are avid boaters, could end up leading the world in electric boat adoption. In fact, one in five Norwegian boatowners say they would consider buying electric in the future, motivated by quieter engines and smaller environmental footprint. Similar trends are seen in Australia, Canada, coastal European countries, New Zealand and the US.

In the world of commercial workboats, power is important. Norwegian battery technology is busting the myth that electric motors are diesel’s wimpy cousin. For certain uses, electric boats deliver plenty of muscle to do the job, with no emissions.The workboats are intended for use in diverse areas – from personnel transport, search and rescue, and surveying to ROV inspection, surface-supplied diving, and law enforcement.