ALVA Yachts introduces new 78-foot solar electric catamaran with ‘transatlantic range’
Luxury electric boatbuilder ALVA Yachts is back with its latest solar electric catamaran. The upcoming OCEAN ECO 78 will arrive as a mid-size marine vessel in ALVA’s current lineup and comes equipped with the solar and electric propulsion technology to reach a top speed of 14-15 knots (16-17 mph) at sea, plus plenty of battery capacity to go far – all backed by solar panels on its roof.
ALVA Yachts is a German company founded in 2020 by Mathias May and Holger Henn, evolving out of PICA yachts, which was originally founded back in 2013. In that time, ALVA’s predecessor launched over forty 20-30 foot sailing and electric powerboats.
As the brand looks to create the next generation of electric yachts, it remains quite aware of the issues facing marine electrification as well as its own hurdles in developing its zero emission technologies. Its current solution is a growing lineup of solar electric catamarans that are as luxurious as they are sustainable.
The past three years, ALVA Yachts has introduced a 50-foot cruiser, two electric sailboats in lengths of 72- and 82-feet, plus 60- and 90-foot all-electric yachts, including the OCEAN ECO 60, which debuted in 2022 and is now in production.
Today ALVA Yachts has introduced a new 78-foot solar electric catamaran that will fit nicely between the OCEAN ECO 60 and OCEAN ECO 90.
ALVA Yachts ‘launches’ its latest solar electric boat
The sustainable boatbuilder unveiled the OCEAN ECO 78 in a press release today – a multihull yachts that measures in at 23.7 meters, features a fully-electric drive system, and offers the ability to gain additional power from the Sun, even while navigating the sea.
The fully-electric version of the OCEAN ECO 78 is propelled by two 217 kW electric motors that are powered by massive battery capacity ranging between 280-490 kWh. The large roof of integrated solar panels allows for 26 kilowatt-peak (kWp), which ALVA Yachts states is best in class compared to the 78’s competitors.
By combining large battery capacity and solar integration, ALVA Yachts states the upcoming OCEAN ECO 78 will offer transatlantic range and “virtually unlimited autonomy” with the help of the Sun. From bow to stern, the solar electric catamaran is strengthened by 12-meter beams, another best in class design according to its makers. ALVA’s head of design Milan Henn spoke to the boatbuilder’s latest entry in responsible yachting:
The new OCEAN ECO 78 was created as the perfect addition to our existing range, and sits between the OCEAN ECO 60 and 90 models providing owners with a generous increase in size from the 60 but removing the need for crew on the 90. This new model offers everything the 60 does but on a larger scale.
Other features include twin bathing platforms for easy access to the water, a lower deck with seating for eight, an enclosed saloon, and galley complete with a full size fridge/freezer and island bar with stools. Moving to starboard, OCEAN ECO 78 owners can entertain at a large dining table for eight or at it’s L-shaped obervation area near the helm.
Accommodations include a master suite with a walk in wardrobe, a double guest cabin with ensuite, plus further guest spaces to the portside hull, including double and twin rooms with showers. Like all ALVA Yachts, customers can choose from one of five moods for their interior, including Mountain, Forest, Desert, Dune and Sea. We are awaiting additional details such as the yacht’s estimated range, pricing, and production timeline, but when the OCEAN ECO 78 does arrive, it looks to be another impressive entry in solar electric catamarans. Per ALVA Yachts:
ALVA Yachts is bringing yachting into a new era with electrified solar catamarans and sailing yachts that combine self-sufficient, long-range cruising capabilities and class-leading design, delivering the best boats for forward-thinking explorers.
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British Columbia got its first 400 kW DC fast charger last week at Canadian C-store chain On The Run, but that’s not the good part. As part of a limited time offer, these chargers are FREE!
The Canadian convenience store chain just took the wraps off its new, ABB-developed, 400 kW chargers earlier this month, but they’re already planning to bring the ultra-fast 400 kW dispensers to at least four more locations in BC this spring, and have them online just in time for the summer road trip season – something On The Run hopes its customers will appreciate.
“The A400 charger delivers an enhanced customer experience, with reliability and performance from a 32-inch screen to higher power charging sessions and power sharing,” reads the company’s official announcement, via LinkedIn. “Download the Journie Rewards app to start the charge – free for a limited time.”
On The Run’s new 400 kW ABB DC fast chargers are compatible with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, and can accommodate Tesla and other NACS-equipped vehicles with an adapter. That said, the company seems to imply that Tesla drivers in particular will have a maximum charging speed of “just” 50 kW, which feel hilarious (given the current state of affairs between Tesla and the Canadian government), but probably isn’t.
In addition to the ABB A400 400 kW units shown here, On The Run locations also employ the ABB Terra 184 dispensers rated at 180 kW. On The Run plans similar deployments at the four BC locations mentioned above, as well as two more each in Quebec and Ontario slated to go live towards the end of this year.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla’s controversial CEO Elon Musk once mocked 350 kW charging speed as being “for a child’s toy,” despite the fact that, nearly nine years later, his own cars and Superchargers can barely make it to 325 kW while others have sailed right on past. I made fun of that fact on the Quick Charge episode shown, above – and, while I do think it’s funny and relevant, the much more relevant piece of news here is that companies like BP Pulse, Revel, and Wallbox are actively deploying 400 kW solutions, today (while others hit the same mark as far back as 2017).
It’s just a fact: Tesla has fallen way behind.
SOURCE | IMAGES: On The Run, via Electric Autonomy.
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Terawatt Infrastructure‘s first medium- and heavy-duty electric charging truck stop in California is now online, in Rancho Dominguez.
Located 12 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the private Rancho Dominguez site, which is shared among multiple fleets, will support electric trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the US.
First customers include Dreaded Trucking, Hight Logistics, PepsiCo, Quick Container Drayage, Southern Counties Express, Tradelink Transport, and WestCoast Trucking & Warehousing.
Terawatt’s electric charging truck stop features 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day using a simple reservations system. Terawatt’s site features a proprietary charge management system, in-house technicians, 24/7 customer service, and onsite parts management.
“This launch underscores growing collaboration between enterprises, shippers, carriers, and charging infrastructure providers to advance sustainable technologies across logistics and transportation operations, especially in the medium and heavy-duty sectors,” said Neha Palmer, CEO and cofounder of Terawatt. Palmer added that the company will bring another charging site online in Rialto, California, in June.
Terawatt joined some of the world’s largest shippers and carriers in September 2024 to launch the I-10 Consortium heavy-duty EV operations pilot, the “first-ever US over-the-road electrified corridor.” Terawatt is providing charging infrastructure, including software, operations, and maintenance support at six of its owned charging hubs along the I-10 corridor.
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In its most aggressive attack against offshore wind yet, the Trump administration halted the $5 billion Empire Wind 1, already under construction off New York’s coast.
Norwegian developer Equinor announced yesterday that it received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering Empire Wind 1 to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted this tweet yesterday:
Burgum gave no indication of what insufficiencies there were in the approval process for the fully permitted offshore wind project, despite Trump’s recent declaration of a national energy emergency that speeds up permitting processes.
The commercial lease for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1’s federal offshore wind area was signed in March 2017 during the first Trump administration. It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction in 2024.
The project is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Empire Wind 1, which was due to come online in 2027, has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes.
“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda,” said American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet in a statement. “We encourage the administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much-needed power to the grid.”
As Electrek reported, Equinor secured $3 billion to finance Empire Wind 1 in January. The total amount drawn under the project finance term loan facility as of March 31 was around $1.5 billion.
As of March 31, Empire Wind has a gross book value of around $2.5 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (pictured above), which was expected to become the US’s largest dedicated port facility for offshore wind.
In response to BOEM’s stop work order, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:
Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them. Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.
As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.
Equinor says it’s considering appealing BOEM’s order.
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