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The list of weird yet awesome electric boats on Alibaba seems to grow every week. Fortunately for us, we’ve managed to stumble upon another oddball offering in the form of an inflatable electric houseboat. And if you ask me, it’s perfect for the latest edition of the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week series.

For some reason our graphics guy seems to think this is more of a bathroom toy that I’d put in my tub than a fully-fledged ocean-going vessel. But don’t be fooled! This inflatable boat is actually 6 meters (20 feet) long and can fit up to six people aboard (and apparently another three on the roof).

The canopy is somehow rigid enough to support several people on top, making it a fun diving platform when you’re out on the lake.

I have no idea how an inflatable houseboat could be that strong, but they seem to have figured it out.

Or at least someone has. Googling around leads me to believe that this might be a knockoff from a company called Hovercraft SI. Or maybe they just source their inflatable boats from the Alibaba vendor I found. Who knows? The only thing I do know for sure is that I definitely want one of these things!

And at $10,000 (or just $6,000 if you buy 100 units!), it’s probably one of the cheapest electric houseboats on the market.

The term houseboat might be a bit of a stretch though. I’m not sure there’s much of a kitchen, as an open flame in a plastic inflatable boat doesn’t seem like a good idea. It’s the same reason you don’t see many barbecues in rental bounce houses.

And I’ve never seen an inflatable toilet before but I’m guessing it wouldn’t be an enjoyable experience. So this houseboat is likely missing a head.

But the rest seems to be nicely thought out. At first I questioned why it needed fenders — it’s not like you’re going to scratch up your fiberglass hull. But then I realized that perhaps sliding your inflatable boat right up to a splinter-lined wooden dock might not be the best idea.

And check out those accoutrements! There’s a great looking captain’s chair and command console, there are large windows to enjoy the sunrise each morning when you wake, and there are even privacy curtains to keep other’s eyes off of you at night. You what they say, when this houseboats a’rocking….either don’t come a’knocking or maybe call the Coast Guard because something has gone horribly wrong with my inflatable houseboat.

Apologies to my more tech-enthused readers, but we don’t have a lot of specs to share on this interesting marine abode. We can tell that the electric outboard motor is made by EPropulsion, but I don’t see any information about batteries.

There’s a good chance it’s running a 24V-48V system, but without any further information from the manufacturer I’m a bit worried that it’s a BYOB (bring your own batteries) situation.

That’s the case with my own electric boat that I recently ordered, where I have to supply the 24V batteries stateside when it arrives.

Even so, that’s the easy part. If China can make me an inflatable houseboat, I don’t mind scrounging around for some batteries.

I’m not sure how much solar is on the roof either, but those three panels look to be a good 250W each, maybe more. That’s not likely enough to power the motor alone, but it might double the range of the battery on a sunny day. It also means that you could probably avoid charging the boat if you use it just on the weekends. Even if you nearly drain it over the weekend, it can charge back up all week and be ready for you with a full charge next Saturday morning. Or considering that most houseboats are fairly stationary, you’d be able to use its battery for running other devices like lights, music, charging up electric surfboards, etc.

At $10,000, this one unfortunately won’t be added my growing stable of questionable purchases from Alibaba. But if someone else wants to take a risk, I’ll be excited to hear all about your maiden voyage.

Maybe just bring a life jacket.

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Daily EV Recap: NJ signs law approving a punitive $250 new EV registration fee

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Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded Monday through Thursday and again on Saturday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.

Stories we discuss in this episode (with links):

‘Pro-EV’ New Jersey just OK’ed the US’s highest dumb EV fee

BYD says EVs have entered the ‘knockout round’ with next-gen tech rolling out

Ford drastically cuts workforce at F-150 Lightning EV plant amid ‘much slower’ demand

XPeng (XPEV) launches two EVs in Germany with plans to enter more EU nations later this year

Tesla starts using ‘Supervised Full Self-Driving’ language

Listen & Subscribe:

Share your thoughts!

Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

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You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.

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The first entirely US-made crystalline solar panels are coming to market

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The first entirely US-made crystalline solar panels are coming to market

All US-made solar panels featured only imported solar cells until now, but two US manufacturers just struck a three-year, $400 million deal. 

Canada-headquartered Heliene, which makes solar panels in Minnesota, will incorporate Georgia-based Suniva’s US-made monocrystalline silicon solar cells into its panels, and those “Made in the USA” panels will hit the market in mid-2024, thanks to a new three-year strategic sourcing contract between the two companies.

Heliene’s modules will be the first crystalline solar panels with US-made solar cells. Suniva says the catalyst for the pairing was solar project owners and developers wanting their projects to qualify for the 10% Domestic Content Bonus Investment Tax Credit. That’s achieved by using US-made cells based on the US Department of Treasury’s guidance published in May 2023 – and that’s in addition to the 30% IRA tax credit for renewable energy factories.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who visited Suniva’s Norcross, Georgia, factory yesterday, said, “Before this Administration, solar companies across the United States were struggling. Between 2016 and 2020, nearly 20% of solar manufacturing jobs were lost. Now, though there remain significant challenges, Inflation Reduction Act tax credits are helping change the game.”

Cristiano Amoruso, CEO of Suniva, said, “We are proud to fulfill our long-standing promise to bring back cell manufacturing to the United States at our Norcross facility.”

Read more: The US’s oldest solar factory filed for bankruptcy in 2017 – but now it’s back


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –ad*

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Porsche retires gas-powered Boxster and Cayman in the EU with all-electric model coming

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Porsche retires gas-powered Boxster and Cayman in the EU with all-electric model coming

The gas-powered Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman models are being discontinued in Europe as an all-electric version approaches its debut.

Porsche retires gas-powered 718 Boxster, Cayman cars

After announcing plans to retire its best-selling SUV in Europe, the Macan, Porsche will do the same with its 718 Boxster and Cayman models.

Porsche retired the gas-powered Macan early due to new cybersecurity rules. Its availability ends in July 2024. The gas-powered 718 Boxster and Cayman are now set for the same fate.

In a statement to Auto Express, Porsche said as a result of the rule changes “sale of the 718 models with an internal combustion engine is discontinued in the EU and some states that apply EU legislation from now on, thereby ensuring that the vehicles can be delivered to customers and registered by the deadline.”

Porsche did note the 718 Cayman GT4 RS and 718 Spyder RS are not impacted “due to small series regulations.”

Porsche-Macan-EV-Turbo
Porsche Macan EV (left) and Turbo (right) versions (Source: Porsche AG)

Although the regulation applies to all vehicles (ICE and EV), Porsche is preparing to launch an all-electric 718 model. It’s not expected to have any issues with the new rules.

Like with the Macan, updating the gas-powered version would be too costly with an electric model rolling out anyways.

Porsche’s electric 718 is getting closer to production ahead of its debut. We got a sneak peek of the EV this week after it was spotted testing in the Arctic Circle rocking production headlights.

Porsche 718 EV testing (Source: CarSpyMedia)

The German automaker is expected to reveal the electric 718 model before the end of the year with deliveries kicking off in 2025. Porsche has already begun preparing its Zuffenhausen plant for the new EV.

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed plans to begin Macan EV deliveries later this year. Up next will be an electric 718 model followed by the long-awaited Cayenne EV.

Porsche-retires-Boxster
(Source: Porsche AG)

Porsche said it’s expanding “upward” with plans for an ultra-luxury electric SUV, slated to sit above the Cayenne. Blume called it “a very sporting interpretation of an SUV.”

Despite several automakers pulling back Porsche is sticking to its target of an 80% EV delivery share by 2030.

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