Exclusive: Former Tesla exec unveils slick-looking solar-powered electric speedboat
Electric boating is quickly becoming a fascinating industry with a growing list of players offering high-tech watercraft. The latest high-performance electric speedboat planning to hit the waters is the R30 from Blue Innovations Group (BIG).
BIG was founded by Tesla’s former head of global manufacturing John Vo. He ran Tesla’s manufacturing from 2011 to 2017 and knows a thing or two about building electric vehicles, though boats are certainly new territory for Vo.
We spoke about the growing electric watercraft industry, and Vo described to me why the time is ripe for a revolution in boating. “Ten years ago, starting an electric car company made sense. But now it is established,” explained Vo. “But electric boats on the other hand are a no-brainer. I want to bring a revolution to the industry.”
The R30, he believes, is the kind of revolution that could help clean up boating. That’s why the company’s goal isn’t to hand-build just a few expensive luxury boats. “To really impact the environment, you can’t build electric boats by the dozens. It has to be by the thousands.”
Vo hopes to reach that volume by designing the 30-foot electric cabin cruiser for mass production utilizing automotive manufacturing techniques. Part of that plan involves eschewing typical boat manufacturing methods such as fiberglass or carbon fiber in favor of an aluminum hull as well as using a battery that is structurally integrated as part of the boat’s frame.
Longevity is also part of the plan. Vo’s aluminum construction allows him to offer a lifetime guarantee on the hull. Opting for lithium iron phosphate instead of traditional NMC or NCA lithium-ion batteries also allows him to more than double the lifespan of the battery. “So it’s a little bit bigger of a battery with slightly lower energy density,” he mused. “I have the space – it’s a boat.”
The downside of the aluminum design is that it complicates tooling, something that the boat’s designers are still working on solving. They’ve got time, though not too terribly much of it. BIG has an aggressive schedule ahead of it. They’ll debut a prototype at CES early next month using a prototype hull. That prototype will become an alpha model for testing by February of 2023, followed by four beta models to be produced by October of 2023. By Q2 2024, BIG expects to be delivering R30 boats to reservation holders.
Speaking of those reservation holders, you can already hop in line for an R30. It’s not cheap with an expected price of US $300,000, but that’s in the ballpark of other high-end electric boats hitting the market soon. It’s also not far off of the price of gas-powered luxury boats these days. Even if the $300K price tag fits the current market, Vo fully expects that price to drop as mass production enables cost reductions.
And to be fair, the R30 looks to be squarely in the luxury column. Vo described it as a connected oasis with versatility allowing it to be used within the confines of a healthy work/life balance. Take a Zoom call in the comfort of the sofa in the cabin, then return up top to go fishing on the walkaround bow. Or if fishing isn’t your thing, just lay out on the sun bed. For those that prefer to get wet, foldout swim platforms on three sides of the stern will make it easy to enter and exit the water.
And if it’s shade you’re after, the hardtop does double duty by blocking the sun and also turning those rays into usable energy. Extendable solar panels fold out from the main canopy to provide up to 2.7 kW of solar power for recharging the boat’s massive liquid-cooled 221 kWh battery. At that rate you could run the battery nearly empty each weekend and come back at the end of the week to a fully-charged battery. Of course you could also just charge it up using shore power at the dock, but where’s the fun in that? And having an infinite supply of electricity above our heads sure makes for a nice way to recharge while bobbing around out on the water.
Considering that many power boats aren’t actually used everyday (or even multiple times during the week), the R30 stands to become a net zero boat for many users, meaning it would independently generate all the energy it needs to operate.
With a maximum speed of around 39 knots (45 mph or 72 km/h) from a pair of motors creating a combined 800 hp (600 kW), the R30 provides some serious performance to match its slick design. In fact, that’s more than 50% more powerful than the previous ‘highest-powered electric speedboat’ title claimed by Arc.
And a former Tesla executive isn’t going to build an electric boat without a slick design to match. From the spacious below-deck cabin with versatile bed/table arrangement (flip the table upside to turn it into a large mattress) the large dual-screen console complete with Tesla-style yoke steering wheel, the R30 doesn’t seem to miss a beat on style.
What do you think of the Blue Innovation Group’s R30 electric powerboat?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
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With a fully-enclosed, G-Wagen-inspired body and an 80 mile electric range, the Bodo G-Wagon golf cart is the NEV you need when you decide it’s time to get serous one-upping the rest of the Palm Beach country clubbers.
If you love the look of the $230,000 Mercedes-Benz G580 off-roader, but think the 579 hp, 6,800 lb. electric 4×4 is probably overkill for occasional trips to the golf course and country club, this G-Wagen-inspired golf cart might be just what you’re looking for.
The shiny black 2024 Bodo G-Wagon sold at Mecum Auctions last month for $31,900, which seems like it might not be a lot of money to the sort of person who decides to take a flyer on a goofy, limited-use EV that ships with real, metal doors, power windows, heating and air conditioning, fully digital instrument cluster and infotainment, and a “posh,” caramel leather interior.
It even has windshield wipers, power steering, and a rear-seat entertainment system that’s built into the front headrests!
It’s really nice in there
Under the hood, the Bodo packs a 15 kW (20 hp) electric motor drawing power from a 10 kWh li-ion battery that won’t deliver a scorching 0-60 mph time (it only goes 35), but will deliver you and your buddies from one end of any golf course in North America and back several times over, thanks to the G-Wagon’s 80 mile range.
The official Mecum Auctions listing goes into a bit more detail, and I’ve included it here, in case it gets deleted after a while and you’re just finding this for the first time in 2027:
Be the envy of any country club or golf community showing up with this 2024 Bodo G-Wagon Golf Cart. Perhaps more appropriately known as an E-Wagon, this baby G-Wagon is powered by a 15kW motor with a 10kWh lithium battery. Boasting an 80-mile range and a 35 MPH top speed, the Bodo is an enclosed, luxury golf cart that pampers occupants with heating and air conditioning, rear-seat entertainment, power windows, power locks and a posh, caramel-colored interior. With the Bodo fitted with power steering and 4-wheel power disc brakes with brake boost, drivers will think they’re in a full-size G-Wagon, thanks to the multiscreen entertainment cluster, the rearview camera, windshield wipers, turn signals, running lights and so much more.
Finished in black with the right amount of brightwork, the overall vibe is one of jaw-dropping, smile-inducing fun. While the Bodo would be an excellent choice for any golf community, it should also prove to be hugely popular around a race track or car condo community as well, or maybe even a neighborhood with its own airplane runways. Over the past decade in particular, the demand for unique, luxury golf carts has been on the rise, and understandably so. The number of luxury communities with specific interests in sports, aero and auto has also been on the rise, with people buying homes in these exclusive locations to better engage with like-minded people. All too often a golf cart is the perfect way to get around these gated neighborhoods, and this one is enclosed, comes with the amenities of a full-size car and is infinitely more stylish.
You can check out a few more photos of the 2024 Bodo G-Wagon golf cart that sold at Mecum, below – and if you want one for yourself, you’re in luck! I found this brand-new 2025 “G600 E-Wagon” (in white) for $23,900 at Gulf Carts in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Head on down to the comments and let us know if you buy it.
G-Wagon golf cart gallery
SOURCE | LOTS MORE PHOTOS: Mecum Auctions.
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The Hyundai IONIQ 5 got a raft of upgrades and sporty, rally-focused XRT trim level for 2025 – but the biggest upgrade for the Made in America Hyundai might be this: the 5 has regained eligibility for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit!
Despite being assembled at Hyundai’s Georgia meta plant for the last four month, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 was nowhere to be found on the EPA’s list of rebate-eligible vehicles. But that was then – with a fresh updated to the list coming online May 1st, Hyundai’s new-age electric hot hatch is back in the rebate game.
It’s worth noting that lease customers had been able to access the incentive under some circumstances, but this latest update to the EPA list makes it possible for cash and payment buyers to take advantage of the full Federal incentive, too – as long as they earn less than $300,000 as a married couple filing jointly, less than $225,000 as a head of household, or less than $150,000 as an individual.
With the $7,500 federal tax credit in the equation, you can get a new 2025 IONIQ 5 for somewhere in between $36,575 and $49,475, well under the $80,000 Federal MSRP cap.
Victory lap
As if to celebrate, Hyundai announced that it was taking on the celebrate One Lap of America road rayy and race event in a factory collaboration with the track-focused enthusiasts at Grassroots Motorsports this week with One Lap veterans Andy Hollis and Tom Suddard campaigning a stock, 601 hp 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N in the Alternative Fuels class.
“After winning our class in a gutted, caged race car last year, we wanted to compete in the best-of-all worlds this year: A vehicle that’s incredibly fast, incredibly comfortable on a road trip, and incredibly capable on a racetrack,” explains Suddard. “Electrification means it’s finally possible to have huge power without huge compromises in a street car, and the IONIQ 5 N promises to pair that huge power with the durability and capability to survive a week of racing.”
One Lap is widely regarded as one of the toughest street-legal motorsports events in the world, pitting amateur and professional drivers alike compete in stock and heavily modified vehicles of every description, battling it out in a series of scored challenges, including timed events at road courses, drag strips, skid pads, and autocross courses.
In between tracks, competitors safely travel thousands of miles around the country, proving the mettle and durability of the vehicles and the teams that drive them. This year, 86 teams from all over the country will compete in 17 scored events over the course of eight days at tracks like Virginia International Raceway and NCM Motorsports Park.
The Tire Rack One Lap of America is currently underway – you can track the Hyundai’s progress here, then let us know what you think of this new tax development in the comments.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Hyundai, One Lap of America; FuelEconomy.gov.
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With the launch of the first-ever Class 8 vocational EV in the North American market, PACCAR Kenworth is raising the battery-electric bar and underscoring just how far the market has come since the Tesla Semi made its debut nearly a decade ago.
When Tesla pulled the wraps off its all electric Semi truck all the way back in November of 2017, the rest of the industry was hardly thinking about BEVs. Nearly a decade later, the world is still waiting for the Semi to begin regular production, and PACCAR is launching its second generation of HDEVs with the debut of this, the all-new Kenworth T880E vocational truck.
“The Kenworth T880E marks a groundbreaking milestone in Kenworth’s history as we bring to market the first Class 8 battery-electric solution built for vocational applications,” explains Kevin Haygood, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “The T880E is engineered to meet the evolving needs of operators and vocational fleets while still providing the durability, reliability and customization our customers expect.”
The new electric K-whopper is motivated by PACCAR’s in-house ePowertrain platform, capable of putting up to 605 hp and 1,850 lb-ft of peak torque to work, while delivering the same levels of drivability and dependability fleets expect from a Kenworth – but power and torque are only part of the T880E’s work-ready résumé.
Open to work
In addition to a stout, Class 8 electric chassis fitted with heavy-duty Kenworth brakes and axles, the T880E’s central drive eMotor allows for significant wheelbase flexibility so fleet buyers can spec out exactly the machine they need to get the job done. The T880E was also designed to enable lift axle installations from trusted Kenworth upfitters for a vocational-friendly BEV integration.
Additionally, the T880E features a wide selection of factory-installed options that include both high- and low-voltage ePTO (electric Power Take Off) ports, mechanical ePTOs, and the same wide array of body configurations as the ICE version.
Speaking of the ICE version, the electric T880E also can also be had in the same set-back front axle and set-forward front axle configurations with the same multi-piece hood construction. Inside the cab, the latest in driver-focused technology includes the Kenworth SmartWheel and a new 15″ DriverConnect digital touchscreen. Dash and vocational features like RAM Mounts and factory-installed PTO switches are available. The T880E is also offered with Kenworth ADAS packages for customers interested in DigitalVision Mirrors, Bendix Fusion, and Lane Keeping Assist.
It’s so big, you guys
The T880E was on static display at last week’s ACT Expo in Anaheim, California. Check with your local Kenworth dealer for availability.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Kenworth.
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