It’s no easy feat to incorporate a next-gen electric propulsion system into an elegant sloop. X-Yachts appears to have pulled it off, though.
The Danish yacht maker, which has spent more than 40 years in the game, just launched a futuristic new sailing yacht that looks to be as stylish as it is sustainable. Christened the X49E, the 49-footer is the very first electric sailboat to be made by the yard.
The 12-ton newcomer is based on the existing X49 model, but eschews the traditional diesel engines in favor of two of Oceanvolt’s 10 kW electric motors. The pods are mounted on each side of the traditional engine compartment, below the aft cabin bunks. The space which used to hold the engines now houses a 28.8 kWh lithium battery bank and an onboard DC generator with a capacity of 11 kW.
The X49E’s solar panels generate energy to power the hotel…