San Antonio electric fleet powers ahead

A new fleet of 43 custom passenger boats operating on the San Antonio River Walk in Texas is powered by electric propulsion systems.

Built by Lake Assault Boats and deployed in October, each of the 8.2-metre vessels is driven by a Torqeedo electric propulsion system, including a Cruise 10.0 electric outboard engine and 16 Power 26-104 lithium batteries.

The system is designed for automatic recharging with a built-in shore power connection onboard.

The lightweight engine provides 12kW peak output and 10kW continuous output. The propulsion system includes remote throttle and steering connections and an integrated onboard computer with GPS-based range calculation.

The 40-passenger barges cruise at four knots and can normally operate up to 12 hours without recharging.

The river walk is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River lined by restaurants, shops, bars, theatres, museums, parks and the city’s major tourist attractions.