Axopar electric AX/E line launches with 2 Evoy-powered models

One of the world’s fastest growing boat manufacturers is winding up their year-long 10th anniversary celebration with the announcement of the Axopar electric AX/E line – focused exclusively on electric propulsion. The first models out of the gate are the AX/E 25 and AX/E 22, powered by Evoy electric outboards.

The AX/E 25 was launched last year and won the 2023 Gustave Trouvé (Gussie) Electric Boat Award in the Production Boats Up To 8m/26 ft category. The first appearance of the electrified 25 was at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2022 when Axopar teamed up with Evoy motors to provide sea trials that made a huge impression and changed many perceptions of what an electric boat can do.

Read: Axopar / Evoy take Cannes ‘by Storm’

The new AX/E 22 model made its debut at this year’s Cannes show and made a definitive statement from Axopar that they are in the electric boat business for the long haul. The fossil fuel propulsion model of the 22 has won numerous awards and the company says the “AX/E 22 continues this pioneering spirit, combining sophisticated elegance with sustainability and thrill, perfect for those who demand the best from their time on the water.”

At Boot Düsseldorf last January, when Axopar was launching their celebration of 10 years in business, I had a long conversation with Founding Partner and Creative & Innovation Director Jan-Erik Viitala, who was very excited about the future of electric propulsion.

Axopar electric delivers on Adventure promise

One thing he made clear was that Axopar would only be expanding its electric model range in ways that would deliver to boaters on the Axopar promise of being ‘The Adventure Company’.

That Axopar promise is important. To say that the company has a devoted following and that its clients and potential clients have high expectations would be an understatement. It is one of the few companies where the customers have a nickname: ‘Axoparians‘.

These are not customers who will be buying an electric Axopar simply because it’s electric. They also demand the Axopar experience and performance – not just in speed and power, but all aspects of being on the water.

“Standing still has never been an option at Axopar,” said Viitala. “We prefer to pick up speed, harness momentum, reinvent ourselves, and yet stay true to who we are. This is how we generate the electric boost—the Axopar way. While others talk about electric boating, we focus on E-Performance, because the joy of being on the water should never be compromised, just as the essence of an unforgettable boating experience.”

True to that statement, the Evoy Storm +300 HP powering the AX/E 25 has continuous power of 225 kW (≈ 305 hp) and can double that for short periods with a peak power of 450 kW (≈ 610 hp). That means a top speed of 50 knots / 57 mph / 92 kmh. I haven’t had a chance to be on the AX/E 25, but I have been on an Evoy powered RIB going close to that speed, and I can guarantee that is enough adventure for just about anyone!

Evoy Storm outboards: 120+ and 300+

The smaller AX/E 22 uses the Evoy Outboard Breeze 120+ HP, with continuous power of 90 kW (≈ 122 hp) and a peak of 137 kW (≈ 185 hp). For batteries, the AX/E 25 has 125 kWh (2 X 63 kWh) of energy storage and the AX/E 22 has a single 63kWh pack.

Range is one of the big questions everyone has about electric boats, and the basics of the calculation are simple. The faster you go, the quicker the electricity is pulled out of the battery. Conditions also effect how much power is required to get through the waves and wind.

The best way to calculate range is how much energy is consumed at different speeds. On the AX/E 25, at a cruising speed of 25 kts / 29 mph the energy usage is about 4.5 kWh per nautical mile (3.9 kWh per mile / 2.4 kWh per kilometre). With 125kWh available in the battery, that’s a range of about 27nm / 32 mi / 52 km.

The AX/E 22 uses less energy to achieve the same cruising speed – about 3.3 kWh per kilometre. On the other hand, though, the battery is half the size, so the combination gives a shorter range of about 19nm / 22mi / 35km. Just as the range goes down at fast speeds, it goes up at trolling speeds, when the AX/E 25 can take you as far as 65nm / 74mi / 120km and the 22 has a high end range of about 41nm / 47mi / 76km.

In terms of charging, Evoy’s drives have been designed to connect with everything from a household or marina outlet up to the highest speed DC chargers. For the AX/E 25, using 120 kW to 150 kW DC chargers, the batteries can be taken from 10% to 80% capacity in about 50-60 minutes. A 40 kW AC charger fully charges the boat in about 2.5 hours, while a standard 6 kW AC charger takes around 19 hours. Those times are less for the smaller battery pack of the 22.

Signature twin-stepped V-hull

The technical specs of a motor and battery are not the only thing that go into a boating experience, of course. Hull design is a key component, and the AX/E models benefit from the efficiency of the company’s signature twin-stepped V-hull that adds both stability and handling precision. Coupled with the instant torque of the Evoy electric motors, it makes for an exhilarating ride enhanced by the absence of engine noise and the ability to feel and hear the wind – and only the wind – rushing by you.

It’s not all about just the thrill of driving the boat, though. The company has delivered more than 6,000 boats all over the world in the past decade and attributes a large part of its success to listening to the global community of Axoparians and sharing their respect and passion for nature and joy of discovery.

Axopar is very committed to the environmental promise of electric boating for the future.  Their website says “The world is a different place now to when we started in 2014 and companies of all types are being run with different mindsets and renewed values than they were before.” 

While the Axopar/Evoy relationship with Evoy may have first come about to showcase the possibilities of high power electric motors, it was formalized shortly thereafter when the boat company led a €6.4M (US) funding round for Evoy and took a 10% ownership stake. 

One of the goals, beyond electrifying their own fleet, is for Axopar to catalyze a broader movement towards sustainable boating, by accelerating and making the adoption of electric technology as straightforward as possible for all.

 

The AX/E division is a forceful way for Axopar to lead by example. “With AX/E, we are not just talking about the future of electric boating—we’re making it a reality today” Says Viitala. “It’s about creating simple, unforgettable moments on the water, where electric boating and adventure come together, capturing the pioneering spirit that has always defined Axopar.”

The AX/E 25 is available in Cross Bow and Cross Top versions while the AX/E comes in Spyder and T-Top Models. Prices (from AX/E website): AX/E 22 Spyder: €129,000 / $142,500, AX/E 22T-Top: €133,500 / $147,500, AX/E 25 Cross Bow: €229,000 / $253,000, AX/E 25 Cross Top: €234,000 / $258,450.

Axopar AX/E  Evoy