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X Shore, an electric boat maker based in Stockholm, just announced plans to make its electric boats available in marinas across the United States.

The new partnership with Safe Harbor Marinas will give its members exclusive access to X Shore’s flagship Eelex 8000 electric boats at locations in San Diego, Charleston, Montauk, Newport, West Palm Beach, and other locations throughout its network.

The partnership should help drastically increase the X Shore Eelex 8000’s reach across the US, according to X Shore CEO Jenny Keisu:

We are thrilled to be partnering with Safe Harbor Marinas to encourage more boating enthusiasts to experience 100% silent, high-performance electric boats. Our organizations share a passion for the water and a deep commitment to sustainability.

X Shore US
The Eelex 8000 and X Shore 1 electric boats / Credit: X Shore

Safe Harbor Marinas is the largest owner and operator of marinas in the world, and has already hosted events introducing X Shore’s Swedish-made electric boats to their network.

Now this new partnership will increase access to these boats to members of the world’s largest boating network.

As Safe Harbor Marinas vice president of partnerships and experiences explained:

The enthusiasm from our Members about the X Shore program is noticeable. Through our nationwide events, Safe Harbor Experiences, the Members have had the opportunity to experience these environmentally friendly electric boats firsthand. As a direct result, they are highly anticipating the addition of this amenity to our different marinas across the country. Our partnership with X Shore will continue to have a positive impact on the future of the marine industry.

x shore 1 electric boat

Electric boats, being boats, are notoriously expensive. The Eelex 8000 is priced at around US $330,000, though X Shore also recently unveiled a lower cost electric boat known as the X Shore 1 designed to cut that price by more than half.

Because of the high cost of boat ownership, including electric boats, boat networks have become a popular way to get new electric boats out into the wild.

X Shore also recently landed a major $30M funding round designed to help the company sail toward expected profitability in 2024.

The investment round was led by SEB Investment Management AB, and was also supported by several existing and new shareholders.

X Shore says it will use the new funding to scale its production in an effort to reach profitability.

Electrek’s Take

I think these kinds of access programs are wonderful since high purchase prices mean that very few people actually get to experience innovative electric boat technology first hand. Once you try it though, you never want to go back to combustion engine boating.

Of course this is still an exclusive operation. Boating networks aren’t exactly great equalizers. They’re great for folks who are rich but not “boat rich.”

Even so, let’s be honest. These types of high-end electric boats are currently only for those with money. It was the same way with Tesla a decade ago, when the first ones mostly went to doctors and lawyers. But now the technology and production has matured to the point where any ol’ Joe Schmoe is driving around in a reasonably affordable Tesla. That could be the electric boating industry one day.

Until then though, it’s great that people who can’t afford a third of a million-dollar boat can still get the chance to take one out on a day cruise with their family.

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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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