Friday 15th February 2013

Say hello to Cedric...

AMG unveils fastest all-electric powerboat that uses SLS ED drivetrain

---

Yes, we know it’s a boat. But powerboats are cool – fact. And that this one is powered by the technology behind arguably the PH-est production electric car of all makes it doubly so.

While most boats are called ‘Hazy Daze’ or ‘Dragonfly’, or something equally whimsical, AMG has gone with the unremittingly functional ‘Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept’ for this creation. Which is, frankly, a poor effort, so we’ve decided to call it Cedric for short. Don’t be fooled by the prosaic name, though – the high-performance powertrain fitted to Cedric  means she (yes, all boats are feminine – apparently, them’s the rules) will hit 99mph. That’s unintentional-swear-inducingly quick on water, and it makes her the fastest electrically-powered motorboat in the world.

SLS ED provides the motors. Twelve of them.

AMG is keen to point out that all that power is thanks to technology that was developed for the SLS AMG Electric Drive. In actual fact, Cedric uses the same liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors as the SLS; the only difference is that where every SLS features four of these motors, Cedric has twelve. That gives her a not-inconsiderable total power figure of 2,220hp, with maximum torque coming in at an equally effervescent 2,211lb ft. Blimey.

Those figures compare rather favourably with the SLS, which can ‘only’ boast 740hp and 737lb ft by comparison. Mind you, without the extra drag of the water, the SLS will still crack an artificially-limited 155mph. Have that, Cedric.

Cedric’s been developed in conjunction with Cigarette Racing, a powerboat racing outfit that AMG has had a long association with, and while as her full name suggests, Cedric is only a concept at the moment, she proves the potential for high-performance electric drivetrains in marine applications. All of which is just smashing. Now, AMG, how’s about something Cigarette-shaped with a pair of Black Series V8s in it? Oh, go on...

[soad]

Not right - it'll be silent.

[Andy ap]

Wow, that's shattered my skepticism about electric power trains. three figures on water is an impressive feat. Credit should also go to hull design also but even so that's impressive. I wander what happens with battery charge?

[anonymous-user]

Funny how there is no mention of it's range! Yup electric motors are light and powerful, no batteries are not. Considering the enormous drag on a boat (why you need 2200bhp to do a speed a 1 litre shopping car can manage on land) the energy storage is simple going to be insufficient for anything but a 5km sprint surely?

Anyone know how many gallons of fuel a Class 1 offshore power boat has on board? (I suspect it's a frighteningly large number, especially for one's wallet these days!)

[smele]

Max_Torque said:

Anyone know how many gallons of fuel a Class 1 offshore power boat has on board? (I suspect it's a frighteningly large number, especially for one's wallet these days!)

Nearing 1000 litres.

[ZesPak]

Andy ap said:

Wow, that's shattered my skepticism about electric power trains. three figures on water is an impressive feat. Credit should also go to hull design also but even so that's impressive. I wander what happens with battery charge?

Pah, here on the continent many boats hit three figures on the water.

[jamespink]

If you'r into powerful offshore racing boats, I would imagine the idea of "filling one" for a few pounds worth of electricity would be REALLY appealing, since doing so in a petrol powered one would cost over a grand!

[Hooli]

ZesPak said:

Andy ap said:

Wow, that's shattered my skepticism about electric power trains. three figures on water is an impressive feat. Credit should also go to hull design also but even so that's impressive. I wander what happens with battery charge?

Pah, here on the continent many boats hit three figures on the water.

Here in the real world we don't use silly french measuring systems

[ZesPak]

Hooli said:

Here in the real world we don't use silly french measuring systems

That's right, how many feetsies is it again in a yard?

[anonymous-user]

So, if we say 1000 litres at 36MJ/litre, thats 36GJ, assume approx 20% efficiency (fuel to prop) so a typical conventional power boat is going to deliver approx 7.2GJ to the water before needing refueling.

Working backwards, lets say the electric powertrain is 80% efficient, so it needs an energy store of 9GJ.

Using the best battery specs currently for LiPo's (approx 550KJ/kg with housings and BMS) that's 16.3 tonnes of batteries to match the gasoline fuelled boats range !!! No to mention the cost of those batteries (approx £180k)

[Evo]

They never gave away anything like that on Bullseye

[renorti]

fantastic, until the batteries run out! out at sea could be a problem

[Crusoe]

At least oars will still work if you brick it, unlike a car you can't push

[Hooli]

ZesPak said:

Hooli said:

Here in the real world we don't use silly french measuring systems

That's right, how many feetsies is it again in a yard?

Left feetises or right feetsies?

Oh & girly or man sized feetsies?

[xxxscimitarxxx]

Batteries for long range at high speed wont ever happen with current (scuse the pun) technology of course

but like electric powered drag cars that are now capable of kicking the ass out of old school muscle....an electric powered 1/4 mile drag boat makes perfect sense for an electric power project

I havebnt seen one yet?

[TheLastPost]

ZesPak said:

Andy ap said:

Wow, that's shattered my skepticism about electric power trains. three figures on water is an impressive feat. Credit should also go to hull design also but even so that's impressive. I wander what happens with battery charge?

Pah, here on the continent many boats hit three figures on the water.

The world speed record for electric boats (powered by a motor designed by a guy called Cedric, as it happens... now there's a coincidence), however, stands at 69 mph, so it's there for AMG's taking if this article is correct.

Mind you, that's all it would be good for - it's fk all use as an offshore powerboat, due to the range issues raised by others.

[Hellbound]

Strangely I really like these two. It's like I'm staring into the future (range and battery limitations aside). More than a whiff of Tron era about it.

[Itsallicanafford]

...mmmh, i love going fast on water...60mph feels like 120mph in a car with no windscreen..and then you hit a wave and you are flying...

I would have thought that £50K would get you a decent rig capable of 90Mph though (in a smaller boat with outboard though), not the quadzillion pounds this will cost..very much a mega rich man thing this.

[tog]

Cedric? I thought this thread was going to be about classic Nissans...

[Ari]

Andy ap said:

Wow, that's shattered my skepticism about electric power trains. three figures on water is an impressive feat. Credit should also go to hull design also but even so that's impressive. I wander what happens with battery charge?

Pffftt, that's nothing. I've developed a boat that will do 200mph from solar power!

Of course it's just a "concept" and a pretty drawing...

[Simpo Two]

Ari said:

Pffftt, that's nothing. I've developed a boat that will do 200mph from solar power!

Of course it's just a "concept" and a pretty drawing...

You'll be needing one of my batteries that's the size of a peanut and delivers 1,000A for 14 days continuously. It is only a concept though...