A concept by Simonis Voogd Design
The Fareast 42 is the first fully electric sailing catamaran from the Chinese shipyard Far East Boat. For the motorization, the sailboat manufacturer called upon ePropulsion, a specialist in electric motors. According to the engine manufacturer, this is the first mass-produced catamaran to be equipped with its new inboard propulsion system. Designed by Simonis Voogd Design, it is presented as combining speed and comfort, offering a spacious living area. Its sleek design is marked by the large Plexiglas windows, which provide an unobstructed view and brightness in the saloon and cabin. This model is offered in sport or charter versions. Little detailed information is yet available on the boat itself.
Inboard electric propulsion ePropulsion
The Fareast 42 is fully equipped with batteries, electric propulsion and ePropulsion control and management systems. A 5-inch screen allows to monitor battery level, speed, state of charge, but also to communicate via ePropulsion's cloud-based connectivity services, or to share the boat's position for remote monitoring.
At 42 feet, the catamaran is powered by a pair of electric motors of 20 kW each. Up to four lithium iron phosphate batteries can be installed for a total capacity of 188.41 kWh. The maximum battery life is up to 20 hours and up to 100 miles in pure electric use. All batteries are equipped with a management system that monitors voltage and temperature in real time and provides automatic equalization.
Complementary wind and solar technologies
Integrating wind and solar energy as a complement, the Fareast 42 operates entirely on zero-emission technology. In hydrogeneration mode, the autonomy can be extended, the engine feeding the batteries during navigation. Only with the electric motor, the expected speed is 8 knots. In addition to sailing, the boat can exceed 10 knots.
The Fareast 42 is equipped with a 20 kW on-board battery charger and a 3 kW portable battery charger to recharge the batteries. The solar panels will be a relay for the recharge.
