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Lucietta's return to the Venice Boat Show, held from May 27 to 31, 2026 in Venice's Arsenale, goes far beyond a simple styling exercise around the electric boat. This 9.30 m water cab, designed by Nauta and built by the Serenella shipyard in Murano, crystallizes several issues facing port cities and urban maritime transport operators: noise reduction, space available on board, real autonomy, battery integration and adaptation to historic infrastructures.
The boat has also just received an Honorable Mention at the ADI Compasso d'Oro Awards, the Italian industrial design award. But behind this award, the most interesting questions concern the daily use of the boat in the canals of Venice and the compromises imposed by electric propulsion.
An electric cab confronts the very special constraints of Venice
Sailing in Venice imposes limits rarely encountered elsewhere. The width of the canals, the height of the bridges, the limited crossing areas, the tight quays and dense traffic mean that naval architects have to work within extremely constrained gauges.
Lucietta is 9.30 m long, 2.25 m wide and has a 2.10 m air draft. This format enables it to retain the traditional proportions of Venetian cabs, while incorporating electric propulsion. According to Nauta, the boat's dimensions were defined after studying historical plans of the lagoon's cabs and discussions with local operators.
This work on volume responds to a well-known difficulty for electric boat designers: the weight and bulk of the batteries. On a conventional internal combustion boat, the engine compartment and transmission take up a lot of space in the hull. In an electric boat, the weight distribution changes completely.
And that's where Lucietta comes in. The boat boasts a carrying capacity of 14 passengers, with more space available on board than a conventional cab of equivalent dimensions. The disappearance of a bulky diesel engine frees up several areas usually occupied by mechanical components.
The question of space is becoming central to the urban water transport industry. In Venice, passenger comfort counts, but so does boat profitability. Every seat gained modifies daily operations.
Autonomy remains the true judge of professional electric boats
In urban boating, autonomy remains the main topic of discussion for electric units. Above all, operators want to know if the boat can provide a full day's service without prolonged downtime.
Repower claims that Lucietta can operate for a full working day without intermediate recharging. No precise figures for battery capacity or cruising speed have been given, but this announcement shows that the project is clearly aimed at everyday professional use, and not simply a technological demonstration.
The Venetian context is partially conducive to this type of propulsion. Speeds are low, distances relatively short and accelerations limited. This sailing profile greatly reduces energy consumption compared to a fast coastal boat.
But the intensive operation of a water cab poses other constraints. Batteries have to withstand repeated charging cycles, cooling systems have to operate in high summer temperatures, and maintenance operations have to be kept simple for operators who sometimes work 7/7.
And then there's the question of port infrastructure. Deploying electric cabs also presupposes the installation of suitable terminals in waiting areas, technical pontoons and professional docks. Without such a network, theoretical autonomy rapidly loses its appeal.
The subject is now of interest to several port cities faced with noise pollution and diesel engine pollution in historic city centers. Venice serves here as a full-scale laboratory.
Recycling materials: Murano's hull and glass as a testing ground
The project's other technical focus concerns the materials used on board. Lucietta's hull incorporates recycled carbon fiber and regenerated Murano glass.
Recycling composites in the marine sector remains a complex issue. Carbon fibers are light and rigid, but their industrial reuse remains difficult on a large scale. As a result, boat builders are looking for solutions capable of limiting waste from production and dismantling.
The Lucietta project is part of this experimental approach. The glass used on board comes from a technology developed by Rehub, a company based in Murano. The aim is to reintroduce waste glass into a new production chain for use in the nautical sector.
But this approach also raises a number of practical questions for professionals. The long-term aging of recycled materials in a marine environment has yet to be fully documented. Resistance to vibration, behavior in the face of saline humidity and ease of repair will have to be observed over time.
In the years to come, shipyards will probably have to strike a balance between environmental performance, industrial cost and ease of maintenance. After all, a professional boat spends a large part of its life in intensive operation.
Between Venetian heritage and contemporary design, the difficult balance of tomorrow's cabs
In Venice, the appearance of a boat is never an afterthought. Water cabs contribute directly to the city's landscape and visual identity. Nauta explains that they wanted to preserve the historical codes of Venetian boats, while introducing stylistic elements linked to electric propulsion. The firm calls it a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional lagoon cab.
The urban electric boat must therefore meet a number of sometimes contradictory expectations: reduce noise, cut emissions, maintain a silhouette compatible with the local environment and maintain an acceptable level of service for operators.
And this transition is not limited to Venice. Other European ports are closely observing these experiments, particularly in tourist areas where environmental pressure is increasing.
Compasso d'Oro confirms growing interest in marine design for urban mobility
Lucietta's Honorable Mention at the Compasso d'Oro also reflects an evolution in the way urban transport boats are viewed. Long considered as mere utilitarian tools, these vessels are now becoming objects of reflection on sustainable mobility. The project joins the Compasso d'Oro historical collection, recognized by the Italian Ministry of Culture.
This recognition also extends to the work of Nauta, a studio founded by Mario Pedol and Massimo Gino in 1986. Historically well known in the world of yachting and tall ships, the firm here transposes some of its superyacht design experience to an urban professional boat.
But beyond the awards, Lucietta is above all an interesting indicator of the current evolution of professional boating. Electric boats are no longer confined to pleasure tenders or demonstration dayboats. They are beginning to enter intensive use, with much more stringent economic and operational constraints.
And in a city like Venice, where every wave ends up leaving its mark on the quays and foundations, reducing noise and vibrations becomes almost as important as reducing emissions.
