Mastervolt recently unveiled 36V and 48V Mac Plus DC-DC chargers. They have bi-directional technology for a quick, safe and consistent charge on service and starter batteries.

“Charging service batteries of a vehicle or vessel can be challenging due to voltage drops and insufficient charging,” Eric Lindquist, vice president and general manager, power systems at Navico Group, stated in a press release. “The Mac Plus provides consistency and peace of mind to users, providing stable power when they need it most.”

According to Mastervolt, there is no risk of draining the starter battery when charging the house bank because it automatically monitors whether the engine is running or providing charge. The Mac Plus uses the Mastervolt three-step-plus charge algorithm.

The new models can charge two batteries from a single alternator or charger. The batteries can be lithium, and the system functions with modern alternators such as Euro 5 and 6. The Mac Plus is also compatible with CZone, NMEA 2000 and MasterBus.

Parallel configuration is possible for as many as 10 units that will provide over 100 amperes.

Does the Mac Plus need a noisy fan to keep cool? Nope. Mastervolt says the system does not require any use of a fan at all.

Where to learn more: Go to mastervolt.com

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RELiON Battery, which makes lithium batteries, has launched the RB36V40. It’s a 36-volt, 40 amp-hour marine lithium battery that the company says weighs 70 percent less than the lead-acid equivalent.

According to the manufacturer, the RB36V40’s maximum capacity is 20 percent more than its series equivalent. The battery can be installed with a parallel setup for quicker, easier charging.

The battery is also built for the marine environment, with an IP67-rated case to repel dust and resist water ingress for up to 30 minutes submerged at about 3 feet. A glue channel and screw-latched enclosure are intended to protect against airborne contaminants, and there’s an internal battery-management system to protect against short circuits and overcharging.

Who owns RELiON Battery? It’s part of Navico Group, which is a division of Brunswick Corp.

Take the next step: go to relionbattery.com

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Aceleron’s essential batteries are the world’s first modular high-performance batteries. The company designed the lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for the circular economy, so all componentry is modular and can be removed. Aceleron enables this via its clever use of compression—screws, fasteners, bolts and trays that mechanically sandwich individual lithium cells together to form battery packs—rather than the traditional methods of gluing or spot-welding componentry. This lets owners replace components while facilitating future upgrades. “As better cell technology becomes available, existing cells and components can be removed for repurposing, and the newer, more-efficient cells can be installed,” says Carlton Cummins, Aceleron’s co-founder and chief technical officer.

Given the importance of high-performance batteries and their safety considerations, Aceleron had to thoroughly vet the tech. “We had to ensure our new assembly technology could perform just as well as incumbent technology for assembling batteries,” Cummins says. The time investment paid off, and Essential batteries are now internationally certified and compliant with National Marine Electronics Association standards.

Each Essential battery has a modular battery-monitoring system, Bluetooth connectivity and two CAN bus connection ports. This allows users to monitor their batteries’ health and performance metrics locally via an onboard network.

Power Up

Aceleron’s Essential batteries are available in 12, 24 and 48 volts; each is rated to 5,000 charge/discharge cycles. The batteries can be installed in three orientations. As space allows, they can be run in parallel to theoretically supply unlimited amounts of electricity. The company sees uses on boats as well as in other applications, including on motor homes, with all-terrain vehicles and in telecommunications stations. The lightweight design also makes the batteries usable in mobile applications.

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Swedish boatbuilder Candela announced in January that it had achieved an expected 65-mile range with its C-8, a nearly 28-foot-long carbon-fiber foiling powerboat that runs on electric power.

The technological advancement in extending the boat’s range—a task that has long bedeviled makers of electric boats worldwide—was achieved in collaboration with the Swedish company Polestar, which is Volvo’s electric-vehicle subsidiary. Candela and Polestar first announced their collaboration this past August. According to Candela, the 65-mile range announced less than six months later makes the C-8 the world’s longest-range electric boat available today.

The Candela C-8 will use the same 69 kWh battery pack and DC charging technology as the Polestar 2, a vehicle that has a reported 300-mile range on the roadways. The boat’s 65-mile range will be achievable on a single charge at a cruising speed of 22 knots.

“This collaboration means that C-8 can travel to destinations previously only reachable by combustion-engine boats,”  Gustav Hasselskog, the CEO and founder of Candela, announced. “The Candela C-8 powered by Polestar marks a significant breakthrough for electrification at sea.”

The boatbuilder says the C-8’s hydrofoil technology is also a key element in the range extension. As shown in the photograph, the C-8 can “fly” above the waves on computer-guided underwater wings that reduce water friction. Candela says the C-8 uses 80 percent less energy than conventional boats at high speed. Its pod motor, the Candela C-POD, outputs 75 kW (the equivalent of 100 hp) for takeoff. Once foil-borne, the C-8 draws around 23 kW (about 30 hp) continuously from its Polestar battery pack. A similar-size conventional powerboat would use around 120 kW (160 hp), according to the Candela team.

Another thing that makes the boat notable, the company says, is the way the collaboration with Polestar enables DC charging on board. The installation of standardized charging stations for electric boats is a chicken-and-egg situation, with many marina owners holding off on adding higher-speed charging stations until more electric boats are on the waterways to use them. “With access to DC fast chargers, which are now starting to pop up in several places around the globe, you can cover totally new routes with Candela C-8,” Hasselskog says. “You can go from Sweden to Finland in one day, or along the entire French Riviera in a few hours.”

The C-8 is not the builder’s first model; the company, founded in 2014, previously launched the C-7 bowrider, without an enclosed cabin. That boat, which was announced in 2019, was suitable for six people. It’s now only available on the brokerage market.

All new-order Candela C-8s going forward will be equipped with the Polestar batteries, the company says. The boat can be ordered in three versions: day cruiser (with an open top), hardtop and T-top. The interior layout is designed for overnights with two adults and two children, with a marine head, dimmable lights and an optional premium sound system.

Deliveries on the boats are expected to take place starting in 2024. According to Candela, the company has already received more than 150 orders for the C-8.  

High Tech Meets Scandinavian Style

The Candela C-8 foiling electric powerboat comes from Sweden. Its interior styling is based on the basics, with a marine head and room for two adults and two children to sleep overnight. The sex appeal of this boat is in its technology, including the foils and the battery-powered propulsion. The foils can be fully retracted out of the water when the boat is at the dock, which should cut down on marine growth that could increase drag and reduce range. Using them is reportedly easy; some reporters with no boating experience say they can have the boat flying within about two minutes.

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New Jersey-based ePropulsion has launched several new E-Series lithium-iron-phosphate batteries.

The E60 and E163 will supplement the existing E80 and E175 batteries in the range, delivering up to 3,000 charging cycles for users.

These batteries, compared to lead-acid batteries, reportedly have three times as much energy density with 70 percent less weight. The company says they’re ideal for smaller boats with limited interior stowage.

“While capacity is an obvious focus of user-oriented innovation, making batteries easier to use is also vital to promoting adoption of electric propulsion,” Danny Tao, CEO of ePropulsion, stated in a press release. “ePropulsion electric outboard engines combined with the new batteries are the perfect solution for boaters looking to embrace quiet, clean and environmentally conscious propulsion.”

Do ePropulsion E-Series batteries work with ePropulsion electric motors? Yes. They’re designed to optimize those motors’ performance.

Take the next step: go to epropulsion.com

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