Photo: Polaris Marine
If you own a pontoon boat, it's because you want to glide across the water in as much abject comfort and luxury as humanly possible. For some people, adding a stinky, emissions-heavy internal combustion engine kind of spoils things a bit. If you're the kind of person who can't stand huffing the fumes or spending lots of money on marine gasoline, say no more. Because Polaris' marine division has your back. Say hello to two EV concept test pontoon boats here to prove the form factor benefits just as much from electric motors as the stuff on dry land does.
Based on the 26-foot, 6-inch 2024 Bennington L-Series Bowrider and the 23-foot, 11-inch 2023 Godfrey Monaco 235, these two pontoon boats are practically identical to how they'd present had they left the factory floor with a gasoline engine as usual, apart from what's under the proverbial hood. On offer is a novel 150-hp electric motor courtesy of Forza X1, one of the most promising recreational boating companies in North America. Being on offer in a form factor seemingly tailor-made for recreational pontoon boats, Polaris and Forza X1 are aiming to bring the quiet efficiency of electric dingies and tenders to a whole new audience.
"As a leader in the pontoon market, Polaris Marine is staying at the forefront of new and emerging technologies, like electrification," explained Ben Duke, president of Polaris Marine, as he spoke about the finer points of the new relationship between Polaris Marine and Forza X1. "Working closely with high-horsepower electric propulsion OEMs, Bennington and Godfrey are using concept vessels, such as the ones we shared with dealers, as testbeds for future development. As electrification technology rapidly advances, we will continue to test, learn, and best understand how we use it to deliver incredible performance and create the best experiences for our customers."
In short, the days where internal combustion delivered an objectively better boating experience than the equivalent electric alternative are dead and gone now. In a world where high-quality lithium-ion batteries and powerful, high-efficiency electric motors are being mounted in everything from passenger cars to off-road toys, Forza X1's unique EV pontoon boat powertrain solutions should theoretically offer all the benefits of quiet electric motors with none of the downsides.
With the prices of marine gasoline being even more volatile than DOT-regulated passenger car gas, people who still scoff at the idea of buying an all-electric leisure pontoon boat might be forced to look in Polaris and Forza X1's direction when the cost of filling a gas boat with fuel is enough to keep the thing in dry dock. When that day comes, an electric pontoon boat will sure as heck beat having no boat at all.
"As a leader in the pontoon market, Polaris Marine is staying at the forefront of new and emerging technologies, like electrification," explained Ben Duke, president of Polaris Marine, as he spoke about the finer points of the new relationship between Polaris Marine and Forza X1. "Working closely with high-horsepower electric propulsion OEMs, Bennington and Godfrey are using concept vessels, such as the ones we shared with dealers, as testbeds for future development. As electrification technology rapidly advances, we will continue to test, learn, and best understand how we use it to deliver incredible performance and create the best experiences for our customers."
In short, the days where internal combustion delivered an objectively better boating experience than the equivalent electric alternative are dead and gone now. In a world where high-quality lithium-ion batteries and powerful, high-efficiency electric motors are being mounted in everything from passenger cars to off-road toys, Forza X1's unique EV pontoon boat powertrain solutions should theoretically offer all the benefits of quiet electric motors with none of the downsides.
With the prices of marine gasoline being even more volatile than DOT-regulated passenger car gas, people who still scoff at the idea of buying an all-electric leisure pontoon boat might be forced to look in Polaris and Forza X1's direction when the cost of filling a gas boat with fuel is enough to keep the thing in dry dock. When that day comes, an electric pontoon boat will sure as heck beat having no boat at all.
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