Electric Speedboats UK: What's Actually Changing in High-Performance Boating
Anyone shopping for an electric speedboat in the UK right now is walking into a market that barely existed five years ago and is already crowded with genuinely different engineering approaches. Some boats fly above the water on hydrofoils. Some pack car-grade battery packs into a RIB hull. Some, like Chorus's own Helion, lean on solar-electric propulsion refined through precision hydrodynamics rather than chasing outright top speed.
This guide breaks down what "electric speedboat" actually covers in 2026, how the leading approaches compare on real, sourced figures, and where Helion fits into that picture.
What Is an Electric Speedboat?
An electric speedboat is a planing or foiling powerboat driven entirely by an electric motor and onboard battery pack instead of a petrol or diesel engine. Instead of a fuel tank, it carries a lithium-ion battery bank, typically between 40kWh and 130kWh depending on the boat, which powers one or more electric motors driving a propeller or pod drive.
Unlike an electric car, an electric speedboat has to fight water resistance rather than rolling friction, which is why range and speed trade off against each other far more sharply on water than on land. A boat that can do 100 nautical miles at 5 knots might only manage 20 to 30 nautical miles at its top speed. That relationship between speed and range is the single most important thing to understand before comparing any two electric boats.
How Fast Can an Electric Speedboat Go?
Most production electric speedboats sold in the UK today top out between 20 and 33 knots (23 to 38mph), with hydrofoiling designs generally reaching the higher end of that range because lifting the hull clear of the water cuts drag dramatically.
The RS Electric Pulse 63, built in the UK, is quoted at a top speed of up to 23 knots. The Swedish X Shore Eelex 8000 tops out around 30 to 33.5mph depending on the source, according to independent tests by Boating Mag and BoatTEST. Candela's foiling C-8 goes further still, with a top speed of 30 knots and a claimed 57 nautical mile range at a 22-knot cruise, figures confirmed by both the manufacturer and MBY's own sea trial.
Planing Hulls vs Hydrofoils
A conventional planing hull, like the Pulse 63's stepped-sponson design, rises up and skims across the water surface at speed. It is simpler to build and service but pays an energy penalty because it is still pushing through water and air resistance at the hull's waterline.
A hydrofoiling hull, like Candela's C-8, lifts the entire hull clear of the water on submerged wings once it reaches a threshold speed. Candela claims this cuts energy use by around 80 percent compared with a conventional planing electric boat at the same speed, which is the main reason foiling boats currently post the best range-at-speed figures in the category.
How Far Can an Electric Speedboat Travel on One Charge?
Range varies enormously depending on speed, hull design and battery size, but current production electric speedboats claim between 20 and 100+ nautical miles depending on how fast you run them. Nearly every manufacturer quotes a "headline" range at slow, displacement-mode speeds that drops sharply once you open the throttle.
X Shore's Eelex 8000 is a clear example of this trade-off. With a 126kWh battery pack, X Shore quotes up to 100 nautical miles of range, but that figure applies at low, displacement-mode speeds of 6 to 7 knots. Push it to its 30-plus knot top speed and independent testing from BoatTEST recorded a real-world range closer to 22 miles. Candela's C-8, by contrast, manages 57 nautical miles at a genuinely usable 22-knot cruise because the hydrofoil removes so much drag at that speed. RS Electric's Pulse 63 quotes a similarly speed-dependent range curve on its own site: up to 100nm at 5 knots, 70nm at 10 knots, and 25 to 35nm once you're running at 20 knots.
The practical takeaway for UK buyers is to ask any manufacturer for a range figure at your actual intended cruising speed, not the most flattering number on the spec sheet.
How Much Does an Electric Speedboat Cost in the UK?
UK-relevant pricing for production electric speedboats currently spans roughly £74,000 to over £280,000, depending on hull type, battery size and build quality. RS Electric's Pulse 63 starts at around £74,000 to £79,990 including VAT, making it the most accessible production electric RIB with a genuine UK manufacturing base. Candela's foiling C-8 sits at the top of the range, with a UK price reported at £278,000 by Top Gear following its own review, against a €330,000 list price from Candela.
Bespoke or low-volume solar-electric builds sit outside these headline figures entirely, since pricing depends on hull size, battery specification, solar array and interior finish rather than a fixed production-line cost.
What Drives the Price Difference?
Three things separate a £74,000 electric RIB from a £280,000 foiling day cruiser: battery capacity, hull engineering and finish level. A hydrofoil system with flight-control software, like Candela's C-FOIL, adds significant engineering cost over a fixed planing hull. Larger battery packs, such as X Shore's 126kWh unit sourced from Kreisel, cost considerably more than the 40 to 63kWh packs found in smaller RIBs. Interior fit-out, from cork decking to bespoke joinery, is the final variable, and it is where bespoke solar-electric builds diverge most from mass-production models.
Electric Speedboats Compared: Real Figures Side by Side
| Boat | Top Speed | Claimed Range | Battery | UK-Relevant Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS Electric Pulse 63 | Up to 23 knots | 100nm @ 5kt / 25–35nm @ 20kt | 46–63kWh | From £74,000–£79,990 |
| X Shore Eelex 8000 | ~30–33.5mph | Up to 100nm @ low speed / ~22 miles at top speed (tested) | 126kWh | From $269,000 (approx £210,000) |
| Candela C-8 | 30 knots | 57nm @ 22kt cruise | 69kWh (Polestar pack) | £278,000 (UK, per Top Gear) |
| ✦ Chorus Helion | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Bespoke solar-electric system | Bespoke, price on application |
Figures for RS Electric, X Shore and Candela are drawn from manufacturer specifications and independent sea trials cited throughout this guide. Helion's published specification does not currently list numeric range, top speed or battery capacity figures, so these fields are marked as not publicly specified rather than estimated.
What Makes Helion Different From Other Electric Speedboats?
Helion is Chorus's Riviera-inspired speedboat, built around a bespoke solar-electric propulsion system and a lightweight, streamlined hull refined through precision hydrodynamics for effortless manoeuvrability. Rather than chasing the highest top speed in the category, Helion is designed for graceful daytime cruising and stylish coastal escapes with minimal environmental impact.
Where Candela and X Shore have built their engineering story around foiling and large automotive-grade battery packs respectively, Chorus's approach centres on solar-electric propulsion integrated into a hull built using large-scale 3D printing technology. That manufacturing method, used across the Chorus range including the Voltis tender and Hari pontoon, allows flexible, bespoke versioning rather than fixed production tooling, so each Helion can be tailored with different fittings and technology to the individual customer.
Solar-Electric vs Pure Battery-Electric
A pure battery-electric boat like the Eelex 8000 or Pulse 63 relies entirely on shore charging to refill its battery pack. A solar-electric system, as fitted across the Chorus range, supplements that charge with onboard solar generation, which can extend a day's cruising range or reduce dependence on marina charging infrastructure, particularly for boats that spend long periods moored or at anchor in daylight. The trade-off is that solar contribution is inherently weather and season-dependent, so it works best as a range extender and top-up system rather than as the sole power source for sustained high-speed running.
Is UK Charging Infrastructure Ready for Electric Boats?
UK marina charging infrastructure for electric boats is expanding but remains patchy compared with mainland Europe, particularly the French Riviera, where a dedicated fast-charger network is already established. According to MBY's own reporting, that Riviera charging network and expanding European marina provision are helping drive wider adoption, with UK marinas following at a slower pace.
For a UK buyer, this means charging speed and connector compatibility deserve as much attention as range. RS Electric's Pulse 63 illustrates the spread well: its standard 25kW charger takes around two hours for a full charge, while an optional 75kW charger cuts that to roughly 30 minutes, according to Practical Boat Owner's test drive review. Candela's C-8 CC, using DC charging, can reach a near-full charge in around 45 minutes.
Do You Need a Special Licence to Drive an Electric Speedboat in the UK?
Licensing requirements for an electric speedboat in the UK follow the same rules as any comparable petrol powerboat, since licensing is based on the vessel's speed and where it's operated rather than its propulsion type. Inland waterways and coastal harbour authorities set their own speed limits and, in many cases, require a recognised powerboat qualification such as an RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate for higher-speed use.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Candela's foiling C-8 currently posts the highest verified top speed among production electric speedboats covered here, at 30 knots (around 35mph), confirmed by both the manufacturer and independent sea trials from MBY and Top Gear. Its hydrofoil system is the main reason it outperforms conventional planing-hull electric boats at comparable battery capacity.
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The fastest electric speedboats, like Candela's foiling C-8, now approach the performance of mid-range petrol day boats, but most electric-only production boats still trail high-end petrol speedboats on outright top speed. The gap is closing fastest in hydrofoiling designs, where lifting the hull clear of the water removes the drag penalty that limits conventional electric hulls.
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Charging time depends entirely on the charger used, not just the boat. RS Electric's Pulse 63 takes around two hours on its standard 25kW charger or roughly 30 minutes on the optional 75kW unit, while Candela's C-8 CC can reach a near-full charge in about 45 minutes on DC fast charging. Always check both the boat's onboard charger rating and the marina's available power supply.
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Electric speedboats generally have fewer moving parts than petrol-powered equivalents, since there's no combustion engine, exhaust system or fuel-related servicing required. Reviewers including EV Database note lower running and maintenance costs as a consistent advantage across the electric RIB and speedboat category, though battery health and marine electronics still require professional attention over time.
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A solar-electric speedboat, like Chorus's Helion, combines a battery-electric propulsion system with onboard solar panels that top up the battery during use. This differs from a pure battery-electric boat, which relies solely on shore charging, and can reduce dependence on marina charging infrastructure for boats that spend significant time moored or cruising in daylight.
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Running costs are consistently lower for electric propulsion because electricity costs less per mile than marine fuel and there's no oil changes, spark plugs or exhaust maintenance to budget for. Powerboat and RIB estimated a full charge on Candela's C-8 CC at around £24 to £27 using a UK marina DC charger, a fraction of the cost of refuelling a comparable petrol day boat.
Where the Electric Speedboat Market Is Heading
The clearest trend across every source in this guide is that hydrofoil and hybrid drag-reduction technology, not simply bigger batteries, is what's closing the performance gap with petrol boats. Candela's 80 percent efficiency claim over conventional planing electric hulls explains why foiling designs currently lead the range-at-speed table, and it's a reasonable bet that more manufacturers will explore lift-assisted hulls, whether full foils or partial systems, over the next few product cycles.
For buyers weighing a Helion against the foiling and large-battery alternatives on the market, the decision comes down to priority. If outright range at cruising speed is the deciding factor, a foiling design currently has the advantage on paper. If the priority is a bespoke, bench-built boat with solar-assisted propulsion, precision hydrodynamics and Mediterranean-inspired styling built to your own specification, Helion's approach is a genuinely different proposition rather than a slower version of the same idea.
Get in touch with Chorus to discuss Helion's specification for your own waterway, or explore the full range, including the Voltis tender and Hari pontoon, on the Chorus Boats website.
